


Between My Brother and Me: Mors Tua, Vita Mia

by Green_Phantom_Queen



Series: Between My Brother and Me: Mors Omnibus [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Origin Story, Prequel, Slice of Life, Storytelling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-11-01 17:45:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 53,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17871896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green_Phantom_Queen/pseuds/Green_Phantom_Queen
Summary: Prequel to "Mors Omnibus"Three years before Professor Akaba would unleash his attack across dimensions and before the advent of Pendulum Summoning, three girls from Carroll City encountered Yusho Sakaki and decided to build a You Show Duel School in his honor, and a brigade of duelists who are willing to stop Professor Akaba's mad crusade at all costs.Join them on their day to day lives fighting off strange and unique creatures all while learning the art of being a Dueltainer and grow to become the strange, mystical and otherwise unique group of duelists that will become a thorn in Academia's side.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GRiDGALAXY](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GRiDGALAXY/gifts).



> The ages of the main characters for the series, as it takes place 3 years prior to Mors Omnibus, are:
> 
> Ryoken: 15  
> Yusaku/Takeru: 13  
> Spectre: 18  
> Dawn/May/Yvonne: 11  
> Max: 8  
> Brendan: 11
> 
> (Note: May, Max and Brendan's ages will be if you convert their vampire years to human years)
> 
> Just apply this to the other characters in the story unless otherwise stated.

_Note: This story is a gift to GRiDGALAXY as a thanks for the inspiration from her fanfic “Rejecting Freedom”_

 

_Other note: This story will feature a lot of child death and horrifying imagery. Those who cannot stomach that, please leave NOW._

 

_Other than that…_

* * *

 

**_There are many things that are not of this world._ **

 

**_And when there are things that cannot be explained, we make questions. We formulate hypotheses like they were crabgrass growing within fields of grass that our are ever curious minds. And we pluck the crabgrass out while asking question after question._ **

 

**_These questions pique our curiosity, and we desire and demand for answers to quench our thirst that is like the finest wines we request from a sommelier who dreams of fermenting grapes in an Italian villa._ **

 

**_And there’s no other place to answer these questions than our home of Carroll City._ **

 

**_Hello there. Welcome to the first of a collection of stories that I have observed that takes place in our home. Where the dead walk the Earth without worry, puppets walk without strings to hold them down, and those who have lost their place can easily become “repurposed” into something shiny and new._ **

 

**_You don’t need a map to find us. Your heart will guide you here if you really want to stay._ **

 

**_Who am I? Well, just call me curious._ **

 

**_No, scratch that. Call me “The Curious”._ **

 

**_And the first tale talks about the rumors of a garden only accessible by those who only want to…_ **

 

**_..._ **

 

**_Hold on, I am a collector of stories, not the narrators for them. I forgot to mention that each tale is told by a different narrator, observer, shaper. These people brought their stories to life by stating “Once upon a time” and continued until the last sentence read “And they all lived happily ever after”._ **

 

**_So, without further ado, let’s introduce the narrator of this tale._ **

 

**_The spotlight is yours, Vision._ **

**_\-- -- -- -- -- -- --_ **

**_People disappear all the time. That’s nothing new._ **

 

 **_But if and when they return, the question that always comes into one’s mind is, “What_ ** **happened** **_to them?”_ **

 

**_The secret life of the kidnapped/runaway is something that satiates our curiosity. Did they find what they were looking for? What type of abuse did they go through? What will happen to them now that they have returned to the place they called home?_ **

 

**_I experienced that in my life. I felt “lost” for ten years, figuring out how to go through my life after the incident traumatized my brother forever, caused our mother to take her life, and for me to nearly follow her into a place where no train, no matter how much money you paid for a ticket, could take its passengers to._ **

 

**_And I vowed that I would never let children suffer that feeling of loss or loneliness ever again._ **

 

 **_So here I was, standing in front of an audience of two dozen people, beginning to tell the tale that would begin_ ** **my** **_tale of bringing people out of the darkness and into the light._ **

 

**_It all started with me stating four well known words._ **

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

**1st Curiosity**

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

**In the Night Garden**

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

_Once upon a time..._

 

_Once, in a sleepy village that resided within the depths of a lively forest, there were two brothers, one older and one younger. They lived on the streets, taking food whenever they could, sleeping underneath the stars, curled up in each other’s arms underneath the shade of the biggest tree in the village and sing little songs to one another._

 

_Their days were always like this. Laughing from sunrise to sunset, gathering bread, milk, cheese and apples for their lunch, telling stories to one another to create a sort of magic that would make time pass within a blink an eye. Nothing could separate them; they promised to always be together no matter what._

 

_The two of them also had a little game they would play called Echo. One of them would count backwards from 10 at the great tree and the other would find a place to hide. In order to find the person, the seeker would sing part of a song until he heard the one hiding continue the song while trying to evade capture._

 

_“Run, you better run, you better run for your life…” was their favorite thing to sing. It was a simple line that perfectly described their little game of cat and mouse. Just that verse alone, would make the other understand that the two would never be apart. No matter what obstacles stood in their way._

 

_This little game would continue until both brothers were found, and then they would race all the way home so they could sleep and then repeat the game the next day._

 

_They were happy. They had each other. Nothing else mattered._

 

_But one day, when it was the older boy’s turn to count and he was about to chase after his little brother, he had been stopped by someone who went by the name of Bandit Keith. Bandit Keith was a ruthless man and a heartless gambler who was known for killing anyone who just looked at him funny._

 

_However, he had a “good” reason as to why he would attack the older brother._

 

 _You see, the older brother had taken some of Bandit Keith’s money after rigging a game of dice some time back, using the money to pay for some food for he and his younger brother. Bandit Keith disliked_ anyone _who swindled him, even though he was absolutely no saint himself._

 

_So, that sneaky shifty smug shadowy sociopath bided his time until he had the older brother in alone in his grasp._

 

_And despite his courage and bravery, the older brother was not strong enough to stop Bandit Keith’s plans for him, all involving the tree that had become like a mother to him and a large length of rope._

 

_Meanwhile, the younger brother waited and waited and waited for his brother to come search for him. But when night fell and the older brother didn’t raise his voice to sing, this made the younger brother worried. So the boy left his hiding place -- inside a barrel full of apples -- and raced towards the tree, singing anything that came to mind in the hopes that his older brother would respond. Upon seeing his brother’s figure underneath the tree, the younger brother smiled._

 

_“Big brother! Big brother!” The younger boy shouted. “I’m here now! Come on, sing for me!”_

 

_But when he finally got a better look at his older brother. He gasped at what he saw._

 

_His brother’s body dangling on a branch of the tree, a necklace of rope snug around his neck._

 

_The younger brother looked in horror, nothing coming out of his mouth for quite some time. Tears streaked his eyes as he cried out for the older brother to say something. But no words would ever come out of his lips ever again._

 

_That is...until the younger brother heard his older brother speak._

 

_“Stay with me,” the older brother’s lips moved, their blue eyes empty. “Stay with me underneath the tree. We can look at the stars and count them so that they know that they are not alone in this night sky. We can sing our songs without having to be far apart and with one breath, as one single being, one single soul resonating within ourselves. Please, little brother. Stay with me forever.”_

 

_“Big brother…” Younger brother whispered. “Will we always be together?”_

 

_“Yes.”_

 

_“Will we really sing our songs together?”_

 

_“We will.”_

 

_“Forever?”_

 

_“...Forever.”_

 

_The younger brother thought and thought and thought for a long time. Then, he made his decision._

_…_

_…_

_…_

 

_The next morning, five children were heard screaming._

 

_This woke the sleepy village up before even the roosters had time to lift their combs up into the sky and caused many of the townsfolk to race towards the source of the agonized children. When the adults found the kids, the children were crying and screaming and sobbing over something at the old tree._

 

_“There’s someone there,” they cried. “They’re...they’re…”_

 

_They could say no more, as if the very word they wanted to say was yanked out of their mouths._

 

_Nervously, one of the villagers approached the tree. What he saw made him scream in terror._

 

_There were two bodies hanging from the branch. One big and one small._

 

_And worst of all? As their bodies lightly swayed with the wind, they could be heard singing to one another in an soft echo._

 

 _It took the bravest man of the town, one who boasted that he could slay a dragon with his own bare hands, to approach the bodies. But as he did, he started to scream and scream and scream and_ scream _…_

 

_Because what he heard were the most chilling words he had ever heard in his entire life._

 

**_“Run, you better run, you better run for your life…”_ **

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

Dawn Fujiki exhales the breath held within her heart as she listens to everyone’s applause. She smiles as she looks down at the story she has read to her Creative Writing class, “The Tale of the Two Brothers”.

 

The inspiration for this story, as with all of the stories the students had to come up for this week’s assignment came from a song. For this, Dawn used both “Hanging Tree” and “Jo” as they both were songs that connected about fleeing for one’s life and the simple deceptiveness that is the madness of one’s mind when faced with such tragedy.

 

She can’t wait to make a short film about this tale. All she needs are some brothers.

 

“Well done, Dawn. You really improved since last time.”

 

This comes from the Creative Writing teacher sitting at his desk, a man in his 20’s with orange hair spread out like the bristles of a broom and a patch of white. He wears a jacket half orange and half white, black baggy pants and brown slippers.

 

“Thank you, Lex,” says Dawn, bowing towards him. “I’m glad I could give it my all for this.”

 

“I’m curious as to why you didn’t give your brothers names.”

 

“If I named them, I get too attached to them,” Dawn answers. “Then I start spooling out a story where they come back to life and kill the man who caused them to end up like that and, well, you know that once I start on something, I can’t stop. I’m like a machine in perpetual motion in that sense.”

 

“Ah, good to know. Now,” Lex clears his throat. “The next person to read their story is...”

 

From the back of the class, someone stands up. Dawn looks up, noting their orange jacket and green hair but tilting her head when she notices something peculiar about the student.

 

And that something peculiar is a mask.

 

It is grey and made to look like the face from a stone statue from ancient times. There are two black holes as if they were drilled in there, a gentle sloping nose and a mouth that neither smiles or frowns. It is a face that is neutral more than anything else.

 

“Oh, Trip,” says Lex. “Are you going to go in character again?”

 

Trip nods his head. “Yes, Lex.” From behind his mask, his voice is soft yet devoid of emotion.

 

“Right, you’re ‘Curious’, correct?”

 

“ _The_ Curious,” Trip corrects, pulling out a piece of paper out of the satchel slung over his shoulder. “I collect strange tales. And whenever you hear my whistle, you just _know_ that a creepy tale is about to commence.”

 

As he walks towards the front of the class, he begins to whistle. Dawn and the other students share a collective shudder. Whenever Trip whistles, it is like he is dragging them all to a maelstrom of malevolent monstrosities.

 

It just makes Dawn pumped up for whatever is in store.

 

She returns to her seat at the front of the class and sighs. Listening to other people tell their tales is her favorite part of the class; how lovely it is to hear people unleash their inner writer and to find yourself drifting away to a world as unknown as what one will expect five, ten maybe twenty years from now.

 

But as Trip clears his throat, Dawn takes the time to shift her gaze towards the student who sits to her left, with black bushy hair layered like the feathers on a raven’s wing, amethyst eyes that seem to gaze out into a door that is visible only to him, and a long white scarf wrapped around his next and embroidered with a black rose even though it is Spring.

 

This is Mokuba Kaiba, younger brother of Seto Kaiba. He transferred to the Carroll City Academy of Creative Arts a few months ago, and in that time, Dawn has observed three things about him.

 

One, he has a beautiful singing voice. She remembered how he sang during his first day at school, his voice pure and clear and sweet as a glass of cool water on a hot day. For some odd reason, he was shy about showing off this talent...except to plants. Whenever he sung in front of them, it was if they reacted to every single note that escaped his lips. This lead to the second observation.

 

Two, he loves being outside. During recess and lunch, he would run around the grass barefoot or sometimes just stood underneath the sun and basked in the sun’s loving rays. It got to the point where many students joked that Mokuba was going to “salute the sun”.

 

And three, he always wears that scarf no matter where he went and whatever he did. Even during PE, he refused to unwind the scarf so it draped over his shoulders. And the last time someone tried to yank that scarf off of him, rumors say that he scared the person who got too close into Mokuba’s personal space that they never bothered him again. This same trait of wearing scarves is in the family, as Dawn remembers seeing Seto Kaiba wearing a black scarf with an embroidered white rose on magazine covers and web articles.

 

In any other situation, these quirks would be chalked off as him being eccentric. But to Dawn, it seemed like a coincidence that he acted just like one of the characters in her short stories.

 

And if there is one thing to know about Carroll City and its citizens, to the point that it should be the city’s slogan, “There’s no such thing as coincidence, only the inevitable.”

 

Mokuba shoots a glance at Dawn, eyes like a hawk. Dawn just places her arms over her story before turning her gaze back to Trip about to tell his tale.

 

 _“Gardens,”_ Trip begins, staring at the story in his hands despite the mask limiting his perception range. His voice is haunting yet entrancing. _“Here, people bury and nurture some of the most splendid and deadly creatures known to man.”_

 

At this, Mokuba blinks. This goes unnoticed.

 

_“There is one garden that belongs to a simple figure who only tends to these plants during the full moon. The flowers that she sings and tends to reach out towards the full moon as if they want to gather the moon’s beams of tranquility and love into each of their five petals. When the gardener touches the center of the flowers, the petals curl around the gardener’s hand, their grip like a baby’s...curious, wanting, longing, begging._

 

_“Life within this garden tends to be very lonely. Sure there are the butterflies, the foxes, the rabbits, the cats...they tend to wander about and the figure -- our gardener -- reaches out to touch them, but she cannot tell stories to these creatures. These creatures do not speak the same language that she does. This brings her to despair and with her tears, she waters her plants who cannot do anything for her mother except reach out for her._

 

_“So, one day, the gardener had a thought come into her mind._

 

_“‘I’ll bring children into the garden, and I will spin their heads with stories, plant the seeds of imagination into their minds, water them with my tears and watch them grow big and strong underneath Khonsu’s guidance as they run amuck in my garden of shadows and dreams. I will make them sleep underneath the stars and then...I will never be lonely.’_

 

_“The gardener planned this out carefully. She tended to her plants with hands that had been cut tending to blackberries and roses. She called out to the same butterflies, foxes, rabbits and cats that were company and taught them tricks. She wrote a multitude of stories onto the walls of the garden until each and every brick was covered in handwriting that can only be read by mice. She wanted everything to be perfect._

 

_“And so, on the next full moon, she opened her mouth and began to sing._

 

_“She sang for as long as she could, pacing across the garden path like she always did, but this time she did it with a purpose._

 

_“She sang and sang and sang until it felt like if she would never recover her voice again. The animals waited, tails twitching in anticipation._

 

_“And then, they came._

 

_“Children of different ages, with eyes the color of stones or water or the earth itself, and hair of varying hues of light, fire, shadows and of the earth itself, entered the garden. The gardener couldn’t have been happier. The animals approached them with apprehension, with curiosity, with awe. The children mimicked the animals’ movements before there was nothing but joy and laughter in the garden._

 

_“The gardener couldn’t help but be happy. She had company now. She would never be lonely anymore. Nothing would keep these children away from her._

 

_“But there was one little problem with her plan._

 

 _“Sure it was nice for the children to enter the garden, but it never occurred to her that_ maybe _, just_ maybe _the children didn’t want to stay in the garden forever. That they would want to return to the comfort of home, to the warmth of their parents who kissed them good night and greeted them in the morning, to the smiling faces of their friends._

 

_“And when a child cried out that they wanted to go home, the gardener didn’t know what to do. She tried telling them all of the stories she knew, of the lullabies that she sang to the flowers, of the wonders the children would obtain if they just stayed a little bit longer._

 

_“But the children refused. They cried for their mothers and fathers, causing such a ruckus that it made the gardener snap._

 

 _“If she couldn’t keep these children, then_ no one else would _._

 

_“The gardener, all with a serene smile on her face, requested if the children did one last thing for her. And that was to close their eyes before she showed them one last surprise._

 

_“So the children did as they were told. The gardener sang one last song as the plants creeped around the children, wrapping themselves around these precious buds and then, when the gardener stopped…_

 

_“The children were dragged into the earth, never to be seen again._

 

_“And for this, the gardener sighed. The children would nap here until the next full moon, and when she dug them up, they would want to stay with her forever and ever and ever…_

 

_“And ever._

 

_“So if you hear rumors of disappearing children underneath a full moon. Should you hear the voice of a woman calling out for these little blossoms to enter her garden of shadows...run. Run until there is no air left in your lungs and you feel like joining these children into the soil. Run, run for your life and pray that you do not join the gardener, even if she does tempt you with night visions._

 

_“Because at the end of it all, she has prepared a bed for you, one that will cover you in soil until you are nothing more than a seedling for her garden of madness.”_

 

At the end of the story, Trip nods his head once. There is an awkward pregnant pause before Dawn begins clapping and proclaiming “How lovely!” at the tale’s ending. Then, she is followed by a round of applause coming from the other students.

 

Except for Mokuba, who still keeps his stoic glare, one that is always shown on the face of his older brother, even while Trip bows and the bell rings.

 

“All right, then,” says Lex, watching everyone gather their books, bags and pencils. “That’ll be it for today. We’ll continue our next round of storytelling on Monday, starting with Mokuba. Mokuba, you have your story ready, right?”

 

“...I do,” Mokuba answers.

 

“That’s good to hear. I mean, if you weave stories as well as you sing, I’m sure we’ll be in for quite the surprise.”

 

Mokuba nods his head as he stuffs papers and books into his backpack and walks off in a hurry. Dawn notices this and rushes off towards him. Something inside her is curious to know more about this boy, and this might be her only chance to uncover it.

 

The halls are bustling with students leaving their classes and heading towards their lockers. Dawn doesn’t need to go to her locker; everything she has is in her satchel.

 

Instead, amongst the hustle and bustle of students excited that Friday is done and the weekend awaits everyone, Dawn keeps an eye on this boy with raven hair until she sees him open the doors to the school. Sunlight washes over him, and over her too, as she smiles.

 

“Mokuba, right?” Dawn begins.

 

Mokuba turns around with a nod of his head. “Your story,” he begins. “It was…”

 

“Delightful? Wonderful? Lovely?” Dawn asks, bringing a finger up for each adverb she uses. “Be honest; I can handle a little criticism. I mean, I’m pretty thick-skinned as it is.”

 

She chuckles at her joke as she pokes at her bicep. Mokuba doesn’t respond; then again, he doesn’t know that it’s a joke in the first place.

 

“No,” he says. “It felt…” He fiddles with the rose on his scarf before he says, “Personal.”

 

“‘Personal’? Why would...ohhhh….” Dawn whispers.

 

Mokuba nods his head. “Seto and I were like that in the past; we had no parents, all our relatives used up our inheritance money and we were taken to an orphanage. Seto was always asked to be adopted, but no one wanted me...the idea that even _death_ wouldn’t stop the brothers in your tale from being together just made me feel…” He places a hand over his heart.

 

“And...is that a bad thing? If you felt so strongly to that story, then I’m happy. It means I surpassed my great expectations!”

 

Dawn then gets a brilliant idea.

 

“Hey, Mokuba,” she begins. “Are you doing anything after school today?”

 

“No,” Mokuba answers simply, plainly, as if expected of him. “I’m just going to go home and do my homework while I wait for Seto to finish with his work.”

 

“Well, how about I take you to a really cool place?” Dawn asks, slipping a hand into his. “You’ll meet lots of cool people and maybe, just maybe, you’ll finally be able to lighten up a little. Seriously, sometimes it looks like someone’s trying to assassinate your something.”

 

“It’s a justified fear, considering that I’m Vice President of Kaiba Corp.”

 

Dawn smiles and places a hand on his shoulder. “If anyone tried to do that to you, they’d have to answer to the YMD Brigade.”

 

“Y...M...D…”

 

“The Young Master Duelists Brigade. I’ll explain to you on the way, come on.”

 

Dawn takes Mokuba down the steps as they race down the sidewalk. A spring is in the girl’s step all while Mokuba takes the time to sing something to himself.

 

_Mary, Mary, quite contrary_

_How does your garden grow?_

_With silver bells and cockle shells_

_And pretty maids all in a row…_

 

And for some odd reason, the way Mokuba says the nursery rhyme makes Dawn feel...nervous.

 

And not the good kind of nervous.

 

But she does not show this on her face as she races off to her second favorite place in all of Carroll City.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

Ten minutes later, Dawn and Mokuba arrive at Dawn’s second favorite place.

 

You Show Duel School.

 

The story of its creation is a very funny one. It happened last summer, when she and her close friends found a stranger unconscious in Bandersnatch Park. He dressed like a ringleader of a circus, with a red suit and purple top hat. Where he came from, he didn’t explain.

 

But the way he dueled changed how Dawn saw dueling.

 

The man didn’t stay long, but he did stay long enough to explain that, where he came from, Duel Schools popped up like a bag of popcorn on an open fire. And it was this little nugget of information that gave Dawn the intrepid idea to make a Duel School in Carroll City, the first of its kind, named after the very same school where this ‘dueltainer’ came from.

 

And it is this building that Dawn takes Mokuba to, feeling the air conditioner unleash a gentle breeze that cools her entire body down. The school itself was once a restaurant that was foreclosed long, long ago, but it now it is the perfect spot for what is to come.

 

Already, everyone is ready for class. There are sisters Miette and Kelly timing how long it takes for the other to neatly shuffle their cards then draw a hand of five. Opposite of them is Paul and his energetic childhood friend Barry, the former clenching and unclenching a fist to reveal a _hitodama_ hovering above his palm and the latter trying to snatch it but failing. To their left is Bianca, staring at a paper crane she has folded before writing a few letters underneath one of its wings, and Trip is next to her, scribbling notes on paper.

 

And, of course, there are Dawn’s closest friends.

 

The one wearing a black dress like she’s about to head toward a funeral in a couple of hours is May, who also has little black rose barrettes decorating her hair today. She is talking to her brothers, Max and Brendan, the trio sharing a laugh at what seemed to be a funny joke.

 

And the girl next to May is Yvonne, who has a pair of cloth dolls on the table, fashioned after train conductors: one wearing white and one wearing black. Currently, she has her hands raised in the air, blue lines of light wrapped around her fingers and attached to each doll. They are learning to walk, to shake hands and to bow. It is a very cute scenario.

 

But that’s not what today’s meeting is about.

 

“Hey everyone!” Dawn shouts, causing everyone to stop what they are doing and turn to her. “I brought a new member to the YMD Brigade! Say hello!”

 

The commotion from everyone drops, almost to the point that Mokuba thinks he has lost his hearing for a second. Then, Yvonne smirks.

 

“Welcome to You Show Duel School,” she says, taking her dolls into both hands and slipping them into the pockets of her blue overcoat with black cuffs. “Mokuba, right?”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Mokuba begins. “Mokuba K---”

 

“Shh, shh, shh!” says Dawn, covering Mokuba’s hand with a mouth. “In here, we don’t use our real names.”

 

Mokuba raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

 

“You haven’t told him what we’re about yet?” asks May with a loud gasp. “Vision, this isn’t like you!”

 

“I wanted to save the surprise!” Dawn giggles, pushing Mokuba to the other side of the room. “Now come on, introduce yourself. You’ll learn everyone’s names later on.”

 

Mokuba is spun around and met with twenty eyes staring at him, anticipating to hear what he decided to call himself. He frowns as he tries to think of the right thing to say.

 

Then, it clicks.

 

“Call me ‘Moon Knight’,” he says. “Because I am the defender of the moon’s compassion under the night sky, for those who wish to have a reprieve from the darkness and to help others to understand that the darkness is not something to be feared.”

 

There is a pause from everyone before Dawn claps her hands.

 

“How lovely!” she exclaims. “So, from now on, whenever you make it here, we shall call you ‘Moon Knight’. Now, have a seat and we’ll have this meeting come to session!”

 

Mokuba nods his head as he notices Yvonne pat the space next to her. Taking the hint, he walks his way next to the puppeteer, tilting his head to the side when he sees the little dolls wave at him.

 

“How do you…” Yvonne places a finger to her lips and winks at him as everyone turns their eyes to Dawn.

 

“Welcome to another day at You Show Duel School,” says Dawn. “We may be small, but we’ll definitely ones to show you what dueling is to be about.”

 

“To bring smiles onto other people’s faces,” says Max.

 

“To bring people together with a shared interest,” Bianca adds, standing up and waving an arm.

 

“And most of all,” Paul adds with a chuckle, arms folded across his chest, a _hitodama_ in his open palm. “To bring retribution for when the End of Days comes.”

 

“Huh?” Mokuba asks.

 

“That’s correct,” says Dawn. “Now, I’m sure you all understand why the YMD Brigade was created, right? But for those who need a reminder, let’s start it off with this guy!”

 

Dawn opens a drawer in the desk in front of her before picking up a poster and a tack. Then, she pins the poster onto the wall, depicting a man in his 30’s with black hair, a purple top hat and red suit. He looks like exactly like a ringmaster of a magnificent circus.

 

“This man is Yusho Sakaki, whom we decided to name You Show Duel School from,” says Dawn, pointing to the man. “Last summer, Guignol, Willow and I found him unconscious in Bandersnatch Park and he explained that he was off to stop a great threat from another world.

 

“But prior to his traverse through darkness and mirrors, he was an amazing dueltainer! He could make a duel so exciting like you were seeing a dueling circus show right in front of your eyes. All three of us dueled him and, unfortunately, we all lost.

 

“However, we gained something in return. After we helped him on his path, we decided to open our own branch of You Show Duel School and train duelists under his dueling style along with ‘repurposing’ foolish soldiers who would even _think_ of trying to invade the other ‘dimensions’ that Yusho’s world was split from.”

 

“Worlds? Dimensions?” asks Kelly, tilting her head. “Sorry, I still kinda get those confused.”

 

“Well, this is the perfect time to explain it,” says Yvonne, pulling out something from her backpack. It is a _kamishibai_ , a small box with illustrated boards to tell a story. The picture in front of everyone depicts two pizzas, one sprinkled with cheese and the other with bell peppers, pineapple, onions and mushrooms.

 

“Pretend that our world is this pizza,” says Yvonne, pointing to the one on the left. “And the world where Yusho comes from is that one,” she pointed to her right. “They’re constructed the same but they have their own add-ons that make them feel ‘unique’.

 

“And a dimension…” Yvonne pulls the illustrated board of the pizzas away and slips it into the back. Now there is an image of the two pizzas from before, except the one with four toppings is divided into four slices, with each slice having its own individual topping. “Is when a world is split into multiple pieces. Each dimension in Yusho’s world, from what we have noted through surveillance from all the pilgrims that originated there, is home to just ‘one’ dueling style.”

 

“Just one?” Trip frowns. “That’s sad.”

 

“Yusho comes from here,” Yvonne continues, pointing to the slice of pineapple pizza. “That one has all the summoning methods known to them: Tribute, Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz.”

 

She points to the one with bell peppers. “This one is the Fusion Dimension, with the main focus being their fortress of a school called ‘Academia’. The pilgrims from there told me that there is a mean old professor who turns eager-eyed duelists into cold, heartless, ruthless, and apathetic soldiers. Their mission? Invade other dimensions and turn innocent victims into cards! I mean, I guess it makes them easier to carry, but personally, why not just repurpose them so that you amass an army to take over the other dimensions? What a waste of Instruments.”

 

Then she points to the slice with onions. “This is the Synchro Division and the city is called Neo Domino. It’s divided its social class into a shallow _Metropolis_ reference: Tops and Commoners. They ride motorcycles and duel at the same time, and they apparently hold a tournament called the Friendship Cup once a year to ‘unite’ the two sides.”

 

“Friendship Cup?” asks Barry. “Wait, didn’t your brother participate in one of those years ag -- AI!”

 

Barry dodges just in time as Yvonne has tossed a throwing knife right at his face, the knife sticking out against the wall and its cracked yellow wallpaper, causing everyone to gulp. Yvonne’s face is stern, icy blue eyes threatening to freeze Barry where he sits.

 

“Don’t mention him while we’re here,” she states. “I don’t want nii-san to be involved in our work.”

 

“R...right,” Barry stammers. “So, back to the story.”

 

Yvonne nods her head as she points to the pizza slice with mushrooms. “This is the Xyz Dimension, city: Heartland. This one is focused on nothing but Xyz Summoning. The pilgrims from there explained that they have Duel Schools too, but their classes, and decks, aren’t as varied as ours.”

 

“Excellent explanation, Guignol,” says Dawn, nodding her head at Yvonne’s lecture. The way Yvonne explains it is exactly how she would narrate her puppet shows. “Now, as many of us has learned even before we could talk, people born and raised in Carroll City have gain a peculiar trait to enter through the borders that keep our world separate from others and traverse through darkness and mirrors into what is simply called ‘The Nightmare Realm’. Willow, can you explain this in greater detail?”

 

“I’d be happy to!” May giggles, standing up. “Okay. So, the Nightmare Realm is a large dark ocean where doors to various worlds exist. Sometimes the door looks like a door, but a world that has existed for so long that even the animals dream of leaving their bodies to venture somewhere else, can transform into a tree, rooted into the Nightmare Realm for easier remembering.

 

“Each door is represented by a symbol to make it easier for us sojourners to remember where we’re going and where we have ventured.” As May explains this, Yvonne pulls another board away and shows a third board that has two symbols: one being a storm of blue and white hexagons and a five pointed star, each point being an orb colored differently, orange, cerulean, purple, silver and black, and the other a set of four diamonds colored orange, black, purple and silver respectively. “From what we know, the one with the star is our world, and the one with the diamonds is Yusho’s world. There are other worlds out there equal to the number of stars in the sky, but these are the two we shall focus on.

 

“In most cases, throughout the various worlds, there are is always an alternate version of yourself somewhere. And if it’s not there, they probably are dead or something else. But, here’s what we learned from the pilgrims thanks to Yvonne’s little ‘stars’.”

 

Yvonne smirks as she shows a fourth illustration board. This one depicts her hugging four little dolls with different colored hair and eyes. But, when one looks closely, they notice that the dolls have the very same face.

 

“There are four ‘boys’, one per dimension, that share the very same face,” May continues, not even pausing to take a breath. “Why it’s like that, we don’t know. But there is always a reason for things like this, and we will uncover it one way or another. There are also…”

 

Yvonne switches the board and shows four chibi drawings of girls with different hairstyles and colored eyes. They also have a silver bracelet on their right wrist.

 

“Four girls that _also_ have similar faces and a bracelet,” May finishes. “Once again, we’ll be learning about this as we go along. Is everyone following so far?”

 

“Hold on,” says Mokuba. “How can a Duel School be the cover of a strange inter-dimensional...thing and how are we going to put a stop to it?”

 

“Because we are something that the Professor, or anyone else associated him, will never see even if it staring at them right in the face,” Miette answers. “And that...is that element of the unknown. Those who traverse through darkness in mirrors find it easy to travel outside their world, but going back _to_ their world is much more difficult.

 

“So, our plan is to gather enough forces and, when the time is right, we ambush Academia, unite the head and the hands with the heart in New Domino, repair the heart of Heartland and get some Instruments along the way so they can be ‘Repurporsed.’”

 

“Repurposed?” Mokuba repeats.

 

“Surely those Academia assholes can be used for something _other_ than making others miserable by transforming them into cards,” Brendan clarifies. “In case you haven’t noticed, but we have so many who traverse through darkness and mirrors in Carroll City that it can cause a population crisis if the sojourners don’t come back for long periods of time or they decide to settle into another world..”

 

Everyone nods their heads in agreement.

 

“I see…” Mokuba mutters.

 

“But, that’s enough about us,” says Yvonne, placing the _kamishibai_ back into her bag. “Now then, Moon Knight...let’s talk about you.”

 

Mokuba darts his eyes at the eleven kids staring back at him. He looks at Dawn who reassures him with a beaming smile on her face before he nods his head.

 

“You know me as the younger brother of Seto Kaiba,” he begins. “But what else do you really know about me?”

 

That is what everyone is eager to find out.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

The meeting ends two hours later after Mokuba dueled Yvonne using his tellarknights against a deck Yvonne called a “Disguise Deck”. As in, a deck that they use to deceive their targets so they don’t trace their well-known deck with said duelist. Despite a few mishaps, Mokuba held his own and that’s all that mattered.

 

The students begin to walk back home or whatever they plan to do on this Friday afternoon. The sun hangs low like a yo-yo left to spin on a string, as Dawn locks the door to You Show Duel School and pockets the key. She then turns around and proceeds to follow Yvonne and May for a bite to eat…

 

Only for a hand placed on her shoulder to stop her in her tracks.

 

“What the…” Dawn gasps, turning around. She then sighs. “Oh, it’s just you, Mokuba.”

 

“Hey,” says Mokuba. “So, thanks for bringing me here.”

 

“No prob. I figured that you needed a place to go when you aren’t with your brother. I mean, it must be kinda lonely all by yourself.”

 

“Y...yeah, it kinda does.”

 

“Then I’m glad I did something good today. Oh, I better get going. Time for my Friday hotdog! Gotta go -- “

 

“Wait!” Mokuba shouts. “Um, sorry. Dawn, I...I need to pay you somehow.”

 

“No, don’t,” says Dawn, running a finger down her cheek. “I mean, I really wished that YSD School had its own _official_ building and all with state of the art technology and advertisements, but that’s being selfish. Besides, I don’t think ‘We’re going to repurpose child soldiers from other dimensions’ is gonna be a good selling point.”

 

“I wasn’t talking about things like that,” says Mokuba. He looks left and right before he whispers, “I mean, I want to show you something. Meet me at Bandersnatch Park by a quarter to midnight, at that tree in the center of the park.”

 

“Oh, you mean Pleasance Tree!” Dawn states. “How lovely! Um, do I need to dress up in something nice for the occasion?”

 

Mokuba smirks. “Wear something...black.”

 

“All right, close to midnight, black, and Pleasance Tree at Bandersnatch Park. How lovely!” says Dawn, pulling out her cellphone to make a reminder for tonight. “Oh, maybe I should get Yvonne and May to join! I’m sure they don’t want to miss out on something like --”

 

“No!” Mokuba suddenly shouts. He then shakes his head. “I mean, no. I wouldn’t want you to get your friends in trouble for this. They have important things to do tomorrow, right?”

 

“Well, yeah…”

 

“Then it’s settled. I’ll see you, and _only_ you, tonight. See you then.”

 

Dawn nods her head as she sees Mokuba walk off, the ends of his scarf slightly swaying like a pendulum, reminding her of what she has to endure back at home.

 

But that will be for later. Right now, it’s time for her Friday hotdog.

 

As she heads off to meet with her friends, she pays no attention to Trip staring back at her, grey eyes glaring at the girl with stitches in her arms and a spring in her step. As she heads towards the crosswalk, he walks off and slips his “The Curious” mask over his face, whistling all the while.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“Hi there, Kusanagi-san!”

 

Dawn’s chipper voice causes Shoichi Kusanagi to turn around, the expression on his face unable to decide to be happy or annoyed at seeing her. Dawn just giggles.

 

“So,” he says. “What will it be today?”

 

Dawn sets the money on the ledge of the truck. “Three hot dogs please. One with mustard, one with relish and one with bacon, jalapeños and extra onions.”

 

Shoichi Kusanagi nods his head as he prepares the order. Dawn then walks back to the table in front of the little food truck before seating herself down. In front of her are a collection of papers, each depicting the face of a child, five in total. And to her right, she notices that her satchel is wide open, making it easy for someone to take off with her treasures.

 

“H...hey!” Dawn exclaims. “How many times have I told you guys not to go barging through my stuff?”

 

“I can’t help it,” Yvonne teases, waggling her fingers. “You know how sticky my fingers can be.”

 

Dawn sighs as she closes the satchel with a ‘a click’ before she lets her head rest on her hands.  She stares at the pictures, each of them showing a child staring back at Dawn with a forlorn expression on their face.

 

“You’ve been following the case on those missing children?” asks Yvonne, tilting her head.

 

“Someone has to,” Dawn replies. “I didn’t get a vision of five children running at night running to a strange moonlit garden for nothing, huh? I mean, it’s kinda scary that I got this after I was repurposed…”

 

“You did say your late grandmother was a seer,” Yvonne notes. “Perhaps you’ve inherited her abilities or something.”

 

“I guess that’s one way to put it.”

 

Shoichi arrives and places Dawn’s order on the table before heading off. He glares at at Dawn before walking off.

 

“What exactly do you know about them?” asks May, picking up the hotdog with mustard.

 

“Well,” Dawn begins. “From what’s been gathered from the Carroll City Police Department, they’re all orphans who once resided in the Queen of Hearts Loving Home for Children.”

 

“‘Queen of Hearts’ and ‘Loving’...that’s not something you put together,” Yvaine notes.

 

“Yeah, the woman in charge, Barbara if memory serves me right, wasn’t...loving enough,” Dawn replies. “But get this, the disappearance of the children coincides with Barbara’s death.”

 

“Really now?” asks May, shocked.

 

Dawn nods her head. “From what was said online and from witnesses, Barbara’s body was found dangling on a noose made of thorny vines, her entrails dangling down her body like roots. The children, those five, had vanished and the only hint to the entire thing was a white rose.

 

“Is anyone planning to repurpose that bitch?” Yvonne inquires.

 

“Yeah because the last thing Ryoken and Yusaku nii-san need is a repurposed dominatrix,” Dawn snarks.

 

Yvonne shrugs her shoulders, taking the relish covered hotdog into her hand and taking a bite.

 

“Do these kids have names?” asks May, tilting her head.

 

Dawn nods her head and spreads out the papers once again. She then names each of them: the girl with blond hair in pigtails and a teddy bear (Rebecca), the boy with scruffy brown hair and a burnt action figure in his hand (Mikey), the boy with lavender hair in a ponytail (Leon), the boy with brown hair in a bowl cut and bangs (Julian) and a girl with long flowing blond hair decorated with a bow (Sonia).

 

“And none of them have any family?” says Yvonne.

 

“Nope. They were just left at the doorstop of that ‘Loving Home’ one day and now they just vanish,” Dawn sighs. “There must be something I can do to help them.”

 

“But why?” May inquires. “This is something you should leave to the police. I mean, they’re professionals.”

 

“...If they were, then wouldn’t they have learned about the Lost Incident sooner?” Dawn hisses.

 

Both Yvonne and May look in concern. Even after all this time, any mention of the Lost Incident  causes Dawn to freeze up. She has a good reason though; that very Incident is the reason for every single bad thing that has happened to her until now.

 

From her being unable to hug or even hold her older brother’s hand for an entire decade, her self-image issues that stemmed from the failures to physically comfort him, seeing her mother hang herself due to said older brother’s PTSD, the bullying she endured, the miscommunications that lead to the stitches on her arms and legs and how she became “repurposed”...

 

The fact that she can remain this cheerful after all of the trauma piled on top of her is nothing short of a miracle.

 

“I don’t want this to become another Lost Incident,” Dawn continues. “I won’t let these children be traumatized like that ever again.”

 

“Even if you do find where they went, you’re in no position into adopting them or the like,” says Yvonne. “The Kougami manor is already full as it is.”

 

Dawn sighs as she takes the last hotdog into her hands. “I know.”

 

Yvonne looks at her watch and blinks. “Damn it. I gotta get going.”

 

“You have another puppet show to perform?” asks May.

 

“No. I have to go babysit Tate and Liza,” Yvonne answers back, taking another bite from her hotdog. “I promised to tell them a new tale with these dolls I got.”

 

“What type of story is it?” May inquires.

 

Yvonne smirks as she slings her bag over her shoulder. “You’ll see later on. Gotta go.”

 

The puppeteer walks off all while Dawn looks back at the papers in her hands. As she does this, May places a hand over Dawn’s own.

 

“I think you’re doing something great,” she says. “But, if something happens to you this time…”

 

“...Nothing’s gonna happen to me,” Dawn states with determination. “Now come on, we gotta get back home in a few minutes.”

 

“Why’s that?”

 

“Well, isn’t today the day you wanted to see the ‘Dark Cupid’ episode of _Miraculous Ladybug_? Aka the episode that was said to break the Internet?”

 

“What are we waiting for?” May takes another large bite from her hotdog, mustard smearing her upper lip in her feeding frenzy. “Let’s get going!”

 

Dawn smiles as she gathers her papers and stuffs them into her satchel. Taking her own hotdog into her hand, she and May walk off, neither of them aware of the figure watching them from the shadows. They twirl a white rose in their hand, frowning.

 

“She’s perfect,” they say to the flower before crushing it, ignoring the tiny pricks on the palm from the thorns. “Mother will find her to be absolutely _wonderful_ for tonight.”

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

Night falls on Stardust Road.

 

Every now and then, the ocean glows, making it shine like the stars. But tonight, it is a dark blue, perfect to reflect the full moon like a silver dish.

 

Inside the manor that overlooks the ocean, Dawn is in her bedroom, pulling out a few items hidden underneath her bed and shoving it into a black bag with bat wings and a silver crescent moon that she received from May for Christmas. Dawn herself is dressed in black, just like Mokuba suggested. Her hair is decorated with two black bows, she wears a cute black dress with white ruffles and long sleeves with black ribbons tied around the upper arms, white leggings and black knee-length boots. A Duel Disk is strapped to her left arm and pinned to her breast is a crest that shows a hammer and pair of scissors crossed together while two sickles on either sides of them, colored periwinkle.

 

Picking up a small drone that Dawn received from her older brother on her tenth birthday, she squeezes it tight before she places it inside the bag. There. Everything is ready.

 

Dawn slings the bag over her shoulder before she approaches her desk. Taking a piece of paper, she writes a simple note on it so that anyone who enters her room will know where to find her.

 

 _“I’m at Bandersnatch Park,”_ she writes. _“At Pleasance Tree. I can handle myself. Don’t worry about me. -Dawn”_

 

Dawn lets out a sigh as she sets the pencil down before staring at the stitches around her wrist. For those who don’t know the whole story, they assume that Dawn decided to cut herself and pity her.

 

If she had an origami crane for every person who pitied her, she would had three wishes by now.

 

Brushing the thought aside, she looks at the time on her cellphone: 11:15. Time to go.

 

Dawn exits her room and looks across the hallway. Every room is filled with at least one or two residents, none of them who wouldn’t know if she would be gone.

 

But to get to the front door, she has to go to the left, which means going past a _specific_ door that holds two _specific_ people who Dawn loves and simultaneously feels anxious about.

 

Taking a deep breath, she walks, her boots not making a single sound with each step she takes. On the third door to her right, she stops, leans close and places her ear on it. Squeezing her eyes shut, she listens to what’s going on the other side.

 

“Relax,” a masculine voice purrs. “Let your worries drift away like they are balloons flying high into the sky. Just listen to my voice. You are safe here with me, Yusaku. You are always safe.”

 

Dawn curls her hands into fists and turns away. She won’t tell her brother or his boyfriend that she’s going out; not when they have some “therapy” to go through first.

 

The first time she learned about her brother’s therapy session was what caused the biggest change into her life. Opening the door when no one responding to her knocks caused her to open it and see her older brother in bed with a the person who would ultimately end up being the reason she could live on Stardust Road in the first place.

 

Ryoken Kougami.

 

He had been giving therapy to Dawn’s brother, Yusaku, for quite some time. But when Dawn saw her brother blankly repeating Ryoken’s suggestions one year ago, oblivious to his younger sister standing there, looking in horror at what is going on...the entire scenario was far too much for the girl to handle.

 

She ran away in horror, down Stardust Road, tears in her eyes as she wanted to get away from everything that happened on that awful day. From the local bully Ursula mocking her that her best friend, Yvonne, was hiding secrets from her, then coming home to Kougami Manor in order to cry on her brother’s shoulder only to see Ryoken brainwashing him? She honestly wanted to die there and then.

 

She would get her wish a little bit later, after she was kidnapped, held as a hostage, watched as Yvonne mercilessly killed the idiots who were willing to sell her as a sex slave and then had a bomb go off that had her dead and her hands, arms and legs ripped out of her body.

 

Dawn grits her teeth as she storms off, grasping the handle of her bag tight as she thinks about her mission. Mokuba, as far as she knows, is connected to the disappearance of the lost children. How? She has no clue, but there has to be an ulterior motive for someone like him to invite Dawn out for a midnight soiree all by herself, without her closest friends by her side.

 

Fine then. Dawn will play by Mokuba’s rules. She’ll dress in black, she’ll meet him at Pleasance Tree at Bandersnatch Park, and she’ll be there at 11:45 sharp.

 

With that in mind, she heads toward the front door, a bag full of tools needed for her crusade and a Duel Disk for protection.

 

The door opens easily. A blast of cool air hits Dawn’s face and she hopes that that hasn’t woken anyone up. When she hears nothing, she smiles. Good. That’s how she wants it to be.

 

She closes the door and locks it. She takes one last look at Stardust Road, looking at the full moon mirrored in the water before she walks off, excited, anxious, determined, slightly nauseous. As she walks, three thoughts enter her mind. Three thoughts that makes sure that she keeps walking towards Bandersnatch park.

 

One, she is going to save those five children.

 

Two, she will not let the Lost Incident happen again.

 

Three, she will prove that she can handle herself and that her gift of repurposement will be put to good use

 

Dawn Fujiki continues her trek, her blue eyes shining with the same determination that her brother displays when he duels. When her mind is focused on something, nothing can stand in her way.

 

And whoever decides to stand in her way ends up in a body bag.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

Bandersnatch Park is lovely at night.

 

And Pleasance Tree is the most well-known landmark of the park.

 

Pleasance Tree has weathered various storms, sheltered couples, children and family underneath the shade, has been a location for various wedding photos, picnics and make-out points and, the rumors go, acts as the entrance to a strange land of night-time magic and wonder.

 

Mokuba Kaiba stands underneath that tree when Dawn approaches it at 11:45 on her phone. He is dressed in a blue and teal striped shirt, jeans, an orange vest and his trademark scarf around his neck. Dawn nods her head as she adjusts her bag. Play it cool.

 

“Mokuba! Hey Mokuba!”

 

Mokuba turns to see Dawn approach him, dressed in a Gothic lolita dress and bat winged handbag. He smiles and waves back.

 

“Good to see you make it!” he says. “Was it hard sneaking out of the house?”

 

“Is it hard to memorize the ingredients in a grilled cheese sandwich?” Dawn replies. When Mokuba snickers, she adds, “No one knows I’m here; they’re all in their beds, dreaming about sheep or the like.”

 

“Ah.”

 

“So, Mokuba...why the sneaking out, the near-midnight meeting, the fact that I look like I should be going to a tea party in a haunted house and that I’m supposed to come alone?”

 

“Because,” Mokuba looks around before he whispers, “I wanted you to be the first person that I show this to.”

 

Dawn raises an eyebrow when sees Pleasance Tree. “Um, Mokuba, unless you carved my initials on the bark with yours in a heart, I think I’ve seen this tree plenty times in my life.”

 

“No,” says Mokuba. “I’m talking about what lies past it.”

 

“What lies...past it?”

 

“Yeah! Look.”

 

Mokuba walks towards the tree and places a hand onto it. He takes a deep breath and then…

 

His eyes glow white as the emblem of a white rose appears on the bark of the tree. Dawn gasps as the rose glows before it splits in half and forms a shining portal right in front of her eyes.

 

“Where does it takes us?”

 

Mokuba turns to her and takes her hand into his own. “To a land of enchantment. Ready?”

 

The butterflies in Dawn’s stomach flutter, but doesn’t deter her. She takes Mokuba’s hand and the two leap into the portal.

 

Down they fall, and to Dawn, it is exactly like how Alice entered Wonderland, except she can’t find a jar of marmalade to place in a cupboard nor does she think about how the words “latitude and longitude” are so grown-up.

 

Dawn’s mind begins to wander to Trip’s short story, the one about the gardener and her desire for company. Would this be the way to enter the garden? Through an old tree that somehow lead to an enchanted place where a kind woman tended to plants like they were her own children?

 

And if so, how does Mokuba know about this place?

 

Dawn doesn’t get a chance to theorize when her vision is covered in a blinding light. When it fades, she finds herself sitting in a pile of grass, staring at everything in front of her.

 

And everything is... _beautiful_.

 

There is no other way to describe it. The garden looks like it has been perfectly tended to by a family of gardeners whose designs were never written or planned, but rather came into their heads then immediately acted upon. There are small shrubs shaped like rabbits or squirrels and foxes that seem to look at her with curious eyes. There are butterflies that glitter in the dark like stars, leaving trails of pixie dust wherever they go. Vines with flowers that glow like lanterns light the walls, the cobblestone roads are free of dirt. There is a wisteria tree that makes her heart break and a fountain depicting the trio of fairies from the Dancing Fairy card, their wings sparkling as if covered in glitter.

 

“I knew you’d like it,” Mokuba giggles, standing next to Dawn. He takes her hand into his once again and helps her stand up. “Welcome to the Midnight Garden.”

 

“The Midnight Garden…” Dawn repeats, looking at her surroundings. “So, it’s not just something Trip made up for the sake of a writing project?”

 

“Oh no, it’s _very_ real,” Mokuba says, staring at a white marble statue on the other side of the garden. “Let’s start over there. That’s my favorite part of the garden. Come on!”

 

“Hey, Mokuba! Wait up!”

 

But Mokuba races off so fast that he does not hear her. Dawn follows him and, in her rush, her boot crushes something, emphasized with a loud _CRUNCH_.

 

She looks down and notices that she has stepped on a flower with five long petals the color of moonlight. Moving her foot aside, she gasps.

 

The flower isn’t a flower. It is...a hand.

 

Five fingers stiffened from rigor mortis and now snapped from the hand it belonged to spread out on the soil. Trip’s story flashes in her mind, how the gardener dragged the children into the dirt, and in front of her is a dislocated arm sticking out like a blooming flower…

 

This...this can’t be real.

 

It is then that Dawn takes in the other flowers around her. A tic forms underneath her left eye at what she sees.

 

Dozens of hands reaching out towards the white marble statue embedded into the ivy-covered brick wall, festooned with various crystal flowers that glow in the pale moonlight. The decorations bow their heads at a marble statue of a woman with yellow agate hair that flows down to her lithe waist and with a onyx rose placed on top of her head. Her skin is the color of chalcedony and she wears a strapless flowing dress carved from alabaster, the carves resembling frosting on an elaborate wedding cake. Amongst the folds is a large rose as if formed by large strips of fondant. Half of her serene face is covered, leaving only a single sapphire eye and half of a loving smile gazing back at Dawn.

 

“This...this is…” Dawn stammers.

 

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Mokuba sighs, appearing by Dawn’s side as if he has been there the entire time. “That’s Mother, Dawn.”

 

“M...Mother?!” Dawn repeats. “Then you...you’re…”

 

Mokuba turns to her, dull amethyst eyes showing a hint of delight as they soon flicker into the color of the sun. His lips are curled into a bright smile, but it looks like a smile that he imitated from a mannequin. Lifeless. Hollow. Empty.

 

“Big brother,” Mokuba whispers, still keeping his smile on Dawn. “Our guest has arrived.”

 

A shadow looms over the girl. Dawn gasps and turns around...

 

And then, there is a knife that swiftly makes a straight line through the girl’s throat.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“You serious?” Yvonne exclaims, wrapping up in a blue overcoat over her cyan pajamas. “You mean to tell me Dawn went on her own with Mokuba Kaiba and didn’t tell us at all?!”

 

“If I wasn’t serious, I wouldn’t have asked you to take me to Stardust Road,” Trip replies, green hair covered by the hood of his favorite orange jacket. “We need to get Dawn out of there before sunrise or else we won’t have another chance.”

 

“And by that you mean we won’t have another chance until the next full moon or we won’t have another chance because she’ll be dead?”

 

“What do you think?”

 

Yvonne doesn’t answer as they finally climb up the hill towards the Kougami Manor. The puppeteer wastes little time as she races towards the door and pounds on it with a fist.

 

“Takeru! Specter!” she shouts. “Either one of you better be up right now! Open up or else I’m gonna force myself in!”

 

After incessantly knocking for about thirty seconds, the door opens, only to find a sleepy Takeru Homura on the other side.

 

“Why are you at the manor at this hour?” The red-and-white haired teen murmurs, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “Why can’t you call?”

 

“Because the only numbers I have are May’s, Brendan’s and Dawn’s,” Yvonne replies. “And May doesn’t like her ‘beauty sleep’ interrupted, Brendan is sleeping over with Hilbert and Hilda and Dawn is not responding to her calls because she’s not in the manor at the moment.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” says Takeru. “Dawn is in her room at this hour.”

 

But Yvonne’s look of “Yeah, right” causes Takeru to pause.

 

“Let me in,” Yvonne growls, pulling out something from the pocket of her coat. It is a switchblade which she flicks the blade and points it at Takeru.“”Right. Now.”

 

“Takeru, who is it outside?”

 

Takeru turns to see someone approach them. “Oh, Ryoken-san. It’s Yvonne and one of her friends.”

 

“It’s Trip,” Trip replies, grey eyes staring into the icy blue ones of Ryoken Kougami. “Where’s Yusaku?

 

Ryoken frowns. “And why exactly do I need to wake him up at this hour?”

 

“Because Dawn is in trouble,” Yvonne answers. “Trip says that she’s gone to Bandersnatch Park along with that new kid, Mokuba and…” she turns to Trip. “What exactly is going on?”

 

Trip sighs, feeling as if he is tired of repeating something over and over again. “Let us in and I’ll explain everything. But first, has Dawn read you her recent assignment for her Creative Writing class?”

 

“You mean the one based on the Hanging Tree?” asks Yvonne. “Well, yeah she has. But Trip, what does a short story have to do with all of this?”

 

“It has to do with _everything_ involving this,” Trip answers. “Because that tree she’s gonna meet Mokuba in? Well, he and his brother were hung there centuries ago.”

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

The feeling Dawn has when she wakes up is is as if someone has decided to press barbwire against her throat.

 

Everything starts to clear as she tries to orient herself. Just before she was knocked out, she followed Mokuba into the Night Garden and noticed that many of the ‘flowers’ in the garden were actually hands, and that the hands were positioned near a shrine of a woman wearing a dress like a white rose.

 

Then there was how Mokuba stated that the statue was like his “mother”...

 

She looks around. Above her head is a wisteria tree and across from her is Mokuba -- that jerk -- along with two other figures. The first figure, judging by his cerulean longcoat, short brown hair and sapphire eyes -- is the one who slit her throat, Seto Kaiba.

 

And the second one?

 

Dawn feels like she’s seeing things, but the second figure is the same statue of a woman but brought to life.

 

The woman folds her hands over the skirt of her show-white dress, her single blue eye lovingly gazing at five figures eagerly listening to what she has to say. Dawn’s eyes widen; the five figures are the missing children!

 

What the hell is the CEO of Kaiba Corp. doing in the night garden with a strange woman, five missing children? And why the hell would someone like him resort to murdering her?

 

Those are questions she would have to get the answers for later, after she frees herself from this mess.

 

 _Okay..._ Dawn thinks to herself. _So Trip’s story wasn’t_ just _something he wrote for class. It was a warning. Those kids are about to become like the very same ones who got trapped there long ago! I gotta do something and get me and those kids out of here...think, think, think!!!_

 

She takes a good look at what is going on the other side of the garden. Seto and his brother are carefully listening to the woman speak, their eyes in some sort of trance from the words. It reminds Dawn of all the times Yvonne would weave splendid tales with her puppets, or how Trip can make lure his audience in despite that creepy stone-like mask he wears.

 

Thanks to living with Ryoken, she has developed his and Yusaku’s habit of listing three items whenever they think things out. So, what are the three things that Dawn noticed?

 

One, her bag and Duel Disk are by the woman’s side.

 

Two, said bag is currently open (a really disgusting habit she has of people; leaving one’s bag open means that you want someone to steal from you!)

 

Three, peeking out of the bag is her drone!

 

A wide smile appears on Dawn’s face as she maneuvers her hands to pull down the sleeve of her right arm, revealing a set of stitches around her wrist. She then pulls out the stitches like they are floss, and notices a thin blade sticking out from underneath her skin.

 

With a few rotations of her hand, she cuts through the vines just enough to free her other hand and then stick it into the pocket of her dress. After a few seconds, she pulls out a remote control around the size of a cigar.

 

She chuckles as she turns the remote on. This is going to be so much _fun_.

 

“And the princess with the blue eyes and the knight with the hand of justice rode off through darkness and mirrors to a world that they have not entered, their only goal to spend time with one another with the time they had left,” The woman recites, smiling at the five who are so entranced with her tale. “And so, they lived happily ever after.”

 

The five children applause as the story ends.

 

“That was so much fun!” says Mikey. “You’re a really good story teller, Miss Shirobara.”

 

Shirobara smiles and pats Mikey on the head. “You were such great listeners, I couldn’t help but want to fill your head with my magical tales. But alas, it is time for you to go to bed.”

 

“Aww…” The children groan.

 

“But don’t worry,” Shirobara smiles. “Once you awaken, you will find yourself in a brand new life, one where you can always be happy. You can tend to the flowers, play with the animals that frolick here, listen to my stories and songs...you will never have to experience the pains that you had back at that ‘Lovely’ Home for Children.”

 

“And we’ll never feel sad ever again?” asks Leon.

 

The woman in the white rose dress smiles and kisses the purple haired boy’s head. “Never ever again.”

 

“What are we waiting for?” asks Rebecca, clutching onto her teddy bear tight. “Let’s do it, Teddy!”

 

“Time for bed, my little ones,” Shirobara coos. “Sleep tight.”

 

The children let out loud yawns as Seto and Mokuba lead them toward a plot of land with five freshly made graves ready for them. But just as the kids are about to follow them, they hear something...chirp.

 

“What was that?” asks Julian, looking around.

 

“I don’t know,” Sonia answers. Then, there is a louder chirp. “Wait, there it is again!”

 

The woman tilts her head at the sound before she notices something shake in the black bag next to her. She approaches it and picks up the item that his chirping, a small drone that looks like a penguin, colored cyan, white and orange.

 

“A penguin?!” Mokuba exclaims.

 

“He’s more than just a penguin!”

 

Mokuba turns around just to find someone attack him with a thorny vine, leaving scratches across his face. He stumbles back before he is attacked again and again and again.

 

“I brought you to You Show Duel School and _this_ is how you repay me?” Dawn snarls, approaching the eight person audience, a remote control in one hand and a braided thorny whip in the other. “That’s the last time I invite new recruits to the YMD Brigade.”

 

Just as Dawn is about to strike Mokuba once more, his older brother steps in front of him. She stops, right hand still gripping onto the control the size of a cigar.

 

“How…” asks Seto, noticing that the slash he made through Dawn’s neck has vanished. “How are you still alive? I…”

 

“Killed me?” Dawn finishes, narrowing her eyes. “Well, a benefit of being repurposed with vampire blood seeping through your veins is that one has a _very_ powerful healing factor. Which is what you’re gonna need after I do this!”

 

She presses a button on the remote control. Then, the little penguin drone’s eyes glow white before it flies towards Seto Kaiba, slamming against his head with enough force to knock him onto the ground with a thud.

 

“You know,” says Dawn. “They always say that it takes ‘Two to tango’. Well, I’d like to think that ‘Tango makes three’ instead!”

 

Tango the Penguin Torpedo chirps before Dawn uses the remote to have him fly toward her side, stroking its belly. Meanwhile, the five children huddle together over as Dawn approaches them.

 

“We need to get out of here,” she says, extending an arm out. “Follow me.”

 

The children hesitate, looking back at the woman in her white dress, Mokuba covering his face with his hands, and the unconscious CEO before staring at Dawn.

 

“B...but…” says Leon. “It’s nice here. Miss Shirobara cares for us.”

 

“She tells us all these nice stories and sings songs and she loves us so!” Rebecca adds, hugging her teddy bear tight.

 

“Well the witch with the gingerbread house was nice to Hansel and Gretel before she decided to wanted to eat Hansel and make Gretel her slave,” Dawn retorts. “Come on, we have to get going before -- AH!”

 

A series of vines wrap around her ankle, dragging her towards Shirobara. Dawn begins pressing the buttons on her control as her penguin drone lights up and flies towards her side.

 

“You are being very rude,” Shirobara points out. “My son brought you here and he was going to let you stay in the garden forever and _this_ is how you repay him?”

 

“When I brought him to the You Show Duel School, I didn’t reveal that I liked burying corpses in the ground or have someone slash his neck!” Dawn exclaims, now hanging upside down so the skirt of her dress flies over her face. She flicks her left wrist as a small blade appears underneath her skin and grabs onto her skirt with her right hand. “Put me down right now or else face the consequences!”

 

“The way I see it, I have every right to to torture you until you break,” Shirobara hisses, dragging Dawn close so the two are staring at each other. “I didn’t want to do it, but you leave me no choice.”

 

Dawn takes note of her bag still next to Shirobara. “Wait!”

 

“Wait you say, do I look like a waiter?” Shirobara snarks.

 

“I mean…” Dawn clears her throat. “You don’t want to kill me yet...not in front of these children!”

 

Shirobara tilts her head, noticing how the five children are close to crying.

 

“I suppose you make a point,” she mutters.

 

“Exactly!” Dawn exclaims. “So, uh, do you know how to duel?”

 

“We’ve taught mother everything we know about dueling,” sais Mokuba, thin scratches going across his face from Dawn’s attack. “She’s very good at it.”

 

“And so am I. So, uh, how about it? We have a duel and if you win, you must let me and the children leave the garden.”

 

“And if I win?” asks Shirobara.

 

“Then…” Dawn frowns. “I stay in your garden forever and you do whatever you want to me. Do we have a deal?”

 

“Hmmm…” says Shirobara, running a finger under her chin. “I get to do whatever I want with this little Morning Glory, hmm? Well, I have wanted a flower girl for some time!”

 

She claps her hands and the vines that suspend Dawn in the air release her, causing her to drop onto the ground with an “oof”.

 

“Next time, I’d consider something like a bed of flowers for my fall,” Dawn mutters, standing up. “Now, if we’re gonna duel, I need my Duel Disk. Which is in my bag. Right next to you. Over there.”

 

Shirobara looks down at the black handbag with bat wings and opens it. There is a Duel Disk with a lavender body inside.

 

“You mean this?” she asks, taking the item into her hand. “Well, here you go.”

 

She tosses the Duel Disk into Dawn’s hands, while Dawn slips the Duel Disk onto her arm. With Tango resting on her right shoulder, she slips the control for him back in to her pocket.

 

“All right then,” says Dawn, drawing her cards. “Let’s get dueling!”

 

Shirobara smirks as vines wrap around her left arm before it transforms into a Duel Disk with a deck holder/lifepoint meter resembling a white rose and the tray a long green leaf. She then stares at the children who look in curiosity like kids do at anything magical.

 

“Don’t worry little ones,” Shirobara assures them. “Once I’m done with this Morning Glory, you can finally rest.”

 

Dawn frowns as Shirobara clasps her hands over her heart and lifts her head to the night sky, mouth open to sing a single note. Then, the bodies of both Mokuba and Seto Kaiba glow before shrinking into small orbs that fly into Shirobara’s open hand before she crushes them with a satisfied grin on her face.

 

“Wha…” Dawn whispers. “What did you do to them?”

 

“You’ll see soon enough,” Shirobara chuckles. “Now then, let us venture into the garden of shadows! Let the duel commence!”

 

A gust of wind collects leaves and flower petals as they swirl around the field all while the moonlight gives Shirobara an ominous aura. Dawn narrows her eyes; this is a duel that she will win.

 

“Let’s duel!” The combatants shout.

 

**(Dawn: 8000)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 8000)**

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“What do you mean the Kaiba brothers were hung on Pleasance Tree centuries ago?” May exclaims. “That’s absurd!”

 

In the living room, five people sit around a glass table as Takeru and Specter serve cups of tea and hot cocoa for everyone and Dawn’s note in the center. Takeru looks forlorn; at times like this, Dawn would be having a study session with her closest friends or they would plan out how they would build up the curriculum for their Duel School. Her absence makes the atmosphere tense.

 

“Our Twilight Princess shall return soon enough,” says Specter, patting Takeru’s shoulder. “Come on, we should prepare some gifts for her.”

 

Takeru nods his head as he follows Specter into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Trip stares at May, hand tented in front of his face.

 

“Absurd, yes. False? No,” he says. “For someone who has dedicated most of her free time to catch up with the modern times, you tend to limit your mind to the curious sites that Carroll City has to offer.”

 

“Well that’s because it’s kinda hard to believe that the CEO and Vice President of Kaiba Corp. are repurposed corpses, although that does make more sense as to why they constantly keep wearing scarves everywhere,” Yvonne notes. “And how exactly do you know such a thing?”

 

“Because,” Trip answers with a cold smile on his face. “My nickname as ‘The Curious’ isn’t just a nickname; it’s a title passed down in my family for generations. Each person who bears that name collects strange tales, always finding ourselves drawn to them like a bee is attracted to nectar. We record these stories for others to read and, if a story remains unfinished, to uncover the truth and write its ending.”

 

“That sounds like a very imposing job,” Ryoken murmurs, embracing a distraught Yusaku. “And how exactly does this relate to Dawn’s assignment exactly?”

 

Trip takes a sip of hot cocoa before continuing. “Dawn’s story, however she managed to make it exactly like how the legend goes, ended with the villagers finding the bodies of the brothers hanging on the branch. But what she didn’t reveal is what happened after they were buried.”

 

“Why would someone bury them?” asks Yvonne. “I mean, unless they want a bunch of zombies on hand, it would be best to cremate the bodies and get it over with.”

 

“Yes, that was the biggest mistake that the villagers did in the end. They just didn’t have the heart to burn their little bodies. Instead, they decided to carefully position their arms and legs so that they were asleep in each other’s arms, then place them into an unmarked grave. Simple as that.”

 

“‘Simple as that,’” Yvonne repeats. “If I had a knife for every single time I heard or read that phrase, I’d have enough to use for target practice.”

 

“But when night fell and the moon shined like a silver coin, she came.” Trip continues.

 

Yusaku blinks. “She?”

 

“Glad to see that you finally show interest to the tale, Yusaku-san,” Trip notes. “But this woman is someone who first appeared in this story of the Hanging Tree. She carried a lantern in the shape of a white rose and walked toward the grave. With the lantern in hand, she sang and the light in the lantern began to glow. Beams of moonlight washed down on the grave and then…

 

“Two hands popped out. The woman then helped pull the brothers out of the grave, wiped the dirt out of their faces and clothes, treated the two like they were her children. Then, she took their hands and rushed off to who knows where.

 

“My great-great-grandfather, who was one of the children who found the bodies of Mokuba and Seto Kaiba dangling from the tree, saw this from behind an old barrel and he raced off to tell his mother and father about it. But, of course…”

 

“No one would believe him,” Ryoken finishes. “Typical.”

 

Trip nods his head. “My great-great-grandfather was sent to bed and was told that seeing those brothers dead must have traumatized him. But that was nothing compared to what happened to what happened the morning after.”

 

“Another body hanging from the tree?” asks Yvonne, taking a sip of hot chocolate.

 

“Absolutely. But this time, instead of two little boys, it was the body of a grown man. And that man was known as ‘Bandit Keith’.”

 

There is a slight pause as everyone looks at Trip silently taking another sip of cocoa. Yvonne sets her cup down and shakes her head.

 

“That’s the same name from Dawn’s story,” she says. “But that doesn’t make any sense -- how would she know the name of that person and write a story from who knows how long ago?”

 

Ryoken rubs his chin in thought. “Yusaku.”

 

“Yes?” asks Yusaku, turning to his boyfriend.

 

“Didn’t you once mention your grandmother had psychic abilities?” Ryoken asks. “Like she could have dreams of things in the past that were left unfinished?”

 

“Yeah,” Yusaku answers. “She would tell Dawn and me so many stories of unfinished business that she attended to. So maybe…”

 

“Maybe Dawn inherited her gift?” Ryoken finishes. “Hmm...that does make a lot more sense than her just using a song to come up with a story.”

 

“So you’re saying that there’s something in regards to the reanimated Kaiba brothers and a strange white dressed lantern lady that Dawn has to handle all by herself?” asks Yvonne.

 

“Oh there’s more to it than that,” Trip states with a humorless chuckle. “My story about the night garden happened some time prior to that lady reviving Seto and Mokuba. She lured many children into her night garden and when they decided not to stay with her forever, she buried them, leaving a single hand sticking out of the dirt.

 

“And, get this, according to an illustration made for this story, the gate to this Night Garden is through Pleasance Tree; the same tree which was used to hang those boys long ago. It opens once during a Full Moon and only by someone who was born and raised in that very same garden.

 

“However, if one doesn’t leave the garden by sunrise, they are doomed to stay in the garden for all eternity and to become an offering for the gardener’s ‘children’.”

 

The temperature in the room has dropped significantly.

 

It is rare for either Yvonne or May to shiver in fear from a horror story, but they both do now. Ryoken then stands up.

 

“We need to get going,” he says. “If we’re going to save Dawn from becoming fertilizer, we must go now.”

 

“Not without some gifts first,” says Takeru, rushing into the living room with two items in hand. “Specter and I won’t be able to come, but please hand these to Dawn to show that we’re here for her.”

 

“Thank you for that, Takeru-san,” says Yvonne, taking the items into her hand. She then turns to the boy whose hair is styled after the wisteria. “What about you, Yusaku? Do you want to see your sister die in front of your eyes again?”

 

Yusaku’s eyes widen as he remembers that fateful day. After Yvonne and May defeated the people involved in that sex trafficking case, he raced toward his terrified sister and hugged her for the first time in years. Unfortunately, the moment was short-lived when one of the traffickers activated a bomb attached to him and caused an explosion that, while it caused a few injuries on Yusaku, killed his little sister.

 

It took days for Kyoko, Aso and Dr. Genome to repurpose her body using spare parts, along with Yvonne’s sewing skills and a bit of May’s blood before Dawn was brought back to life. How he blamed himself for not being able to comfort his sister when she needed it the most. How he blamed himself for pushing her away when all she wanted to do was hug him and he wouldn’t accept those hugs.

 

It was right there and then, when he saw his sister open her eyes once more, that he would hug his sister tight whenever he could. She deserved that at the very least.

 

Clenching his teeth, Yusaku stands up, green eyes filled with a desire to bring his sister back into the Kougami Manor safe and sound. And he will bring her back no matter what it takes.

 

“Take us there,” he tells Trip. “Take us to my sister.”

 

Trip smirks. “Gladly. Now, let’s get going.”

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“Since this is my garden, I’ll take the first move,” says Shirobara, drawing her card. “And for my first move, I play the Field Spell called Black Garden!”

 

She slips the card into the field slot of her Duel Disk, the card depicting the statue of a faun surrounded by vines and blooming black roses. Then, the scenery around the duelist changes into a tunnel constructed by similar vines and black roses.

 

“Now every time we summon a monster onto the field, their attack scores are cut in half. Plus, for every monster summoned, we get a ‘Rose Token’ in return.

 

“Next, I play a Continuous Spell Card called The World Tree!”

 

Shirobara slips another card into her Duel Disk, depicting a magnificent tree with bright green leaves and orange flower buds in its branches. Behind her a tree just like the one in the card’s artwork appears.

 

“For every Plant-type monster destroyed, my tree gains a ‘Flower Counter’. What these counters do, we’ll get to later.

 

“Now, for my monster. I summon Lonefire Blossom in Defense Mode!”

 

Emerging onto the field is a strange plant with a stem consisted of a yellow and black stem twisted together and two blue leaves sticking out. The flower itself is a small bomb with its wick lit. (500/1400 -) 250/1400) Then, to the left of Lonefire Blossom, a single red rose rises. (800 DEF)

 

“I activate Lonefire Blossom’s effect,” Shirobara continues. “If I tribute a Plant-type monster I control, I get to Special Summon a Plant-type monster in my deck onto the field. So I tribute my Rose Token to summon Bird of Roses in Attack Mode!”

 

The Rose Token vanishes before Shirobara’s newest monster appears. A large bird with a green body consisting of a large palm frond, and wings also made of lighter green palm fronds that end in roses. A large red rose tops its head like a crest. (1800 -) 900 ATK) Then, another Rose Token appears. (800 DEF)

 

“I end my turn with two face-down cards,” says Shirobara, her hand now reduced to a single card. “You ready, Morning Glory?”

 

“You’ll see in a minute or two,” says Dawn, drawing a card. She smiles at what she has drawn. “First, I summon Witchcraft Pittore in Attack Mode!”

 

Appearing in front of Dawn is a young girl around her age, with light pink hair tied into a ponytail which, funnily enough, the tail looks like a paintbrush and the end of said ponytail is covered in paint. She wears a white blouse and pink skirt covered by a forest green paint covered smock with a strange emblem that matches the one on Dawn’s dress stamped on the bottom, colored white. In her left hand is a large glass bottle that contains yellow paint, and strapped to a belt on her right is a small leather bag with a paintbrush sticking out. Finishing the look are the leather boots. (1000 -) 500 ATK)

 

A Rose Token appears next to her, which she begins to paint its petals blue. (800 DEF)

 

“How adorable!” Shirobara coos. “I adore art!”

 

“So do I,” Dawn agrees. “But Pittore isn’t staying long. You see, when I tribute her along with a Spell Card in my hand, I get to Special Summon a ‘Witchcraft’ monster from my deck!

 

“So, seeing as you like shiny things, let me introduce you to the woman who works with them! I offer Witchcraft Pittore to summon Witchcraft Edel in Attack Mode!”

 

Pittore vanishes as a new, taller Spellcaster appears. She is a woman in her 20s, with violet and indigo hair tied in a ponytail along with a crown of sparkles topping it. She wears a purple sleeveless and strapless dress with black trim and a black sash wrapped around the middle with golden sparkles decorating it, the Witchcraft emblem on the bottom right corner of the skirt. She wears long fishnet gloves along with various bracelets and rings on her wrists and fingers. Her feet are adorned with black platform heels. In her hands is a large silver monkey wrench with a ruby clamped between the wrench’s jaws. (2000 -) 1000 ATK)

 

Another Rose Token emerges, which Edel stares at disapprovingly. (800 DEF)

 

“And why stop there? I activate Edel’s effect! I send another Spell Card from my hand to the grave and I get to summon another ‘Witchcraft’ monster from my deck. So, here comes the master of needles and thread. I summon Witchcraft Haine!”

 

Dawn sends another card from her hand to the graveyard as a third Witchcraft monster appears. She is around the same height as Edel with grey hair streaked cyan and gold and topped with a small hat. She wears a denim ensemble which includes a long trenchcoat, where a golden crest lies at the tail of the coat, boots that rise up to her thighs, and a golden box strapped to her side. Hovering around her are large needles the size and sharpness of rapiers. (2400 -) 1200 ATK)

 

A third Rose Token appears while Haine pulls out a roll of measuring tape and measures the token from petal to stem. (800 DEF)

 

“Very impressive,” Shirobara admits. “However, this won’t stop me from doing this. I activate my Trap Card, Token Feastevil!”

 

Shirobara’s face-down card flips, depicting a bunch of goblins about to feast on adorable Scapegoat Sheep Tokens.

 

“Whenever a ‘Token’ monster is summoned, I can destroy as many as I want and then inflict 300 points of damage for each one destroyed. So I’ll destroy all four on the field and inflict 1200 points of damage!”

 

The Rose Tokens get sucked into the Token Feastevil card before four orbs of light shoot from it and collide with Dawn before vanishing..

 

**(Dawn: 6800)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 8000)**

 

Meanwhile, four orange blossoms bloom on Shirobara’s World Tree, but Dawn isn’t focused on that as she is focused on squashing Shirobara’s monsters.

 

“That’s not gonna stop me,” Dawn grunts. “Witchcraft Haine, time to dress Bird of Roses up! Embroidered Rampage!

 

Witchcraft Haine raises her hands into the air as four large needles point towards the bird/plant hybrid. Bird of Roses squawks in horror as it is skewered by Haine’s needles and explodes into leaves and flower petals. Meanwhile, a fifth orange flower blooms on the World Tree.

 

**(Dawn: 6800)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 7600)**

 

“Thanks for that,” says Shirobara, taking two cards from her deck into her hand. “You see, if Bird of Roses is destroyed while in Attack Mode, I can Special Summon two Plant-type Tuners from my deck onto the field in Defense Mode! And the ones I choose are my Naturia Rosewhip and Spore!”

 

Two monsters rise in Bird of Roses’ place. One is a red tulip with a grinning face and the other is a cyan puffball with blue watery eyes. (Naturia Rosewhip: 400/1700 -) 200/1700, Spore: 400/800 -) 200/800) Two more Rose Tokens rise, filling Shirobara’s field. (800 x2)

 

 _That’s bad!_ Dawn thinks to herself. _Naturia Rosewhip’s Defense is too strong for my monsters and Spore’s special ability is gonna make it come back and with a stronger level. God damn it…._

 

Dawn darts her eyes back and forth between the two Tuners all while Shirobara smiles at the internal battle in her opponent’s mind. After looking at her choices three times, Dawn sighs.

 

“Edel, attack Spore! Gem Crusher!”

 

Edel charges into battle, her silver monkey wrench ready before she leaps into the air and swings her weapon onto her target with glee. A sixth flower unfurls its petals on the World Tree, the flowers shining like little suns.

 

“I’ll end my turn with a face-down card,” says Dawn, placing a card into her Duel Disk. “And then…”

 

Two cards pop out of Dawn’s graveyard, which she adds into her hand.

 

“Wait a second,” says Shirobara. “How do you get to return cards from your graveyard?”

 

“Hmm? Oh, right,” says Dawn. “I sorta forgot to mention that the cards I discarded in order to use Pittore and Edel’s effect were Witchcraft Creation and Witchcraft Bystreet. And my ‘Witchcraft’ Spells have two effects: one for when they’re played and one if they’re in the graveyard. During my End Phase, as long as I have a ‘Witchcraft’ monster on the field and I have ‘Witchcraft’ Spells in my grave, I can bring them back to my hand or, in the case of Witchcraft Bystreet, place it in one of my Spell/Trap Zones!”

 

“That’s not…”

 

“Fair?” Dawn finishes. She shakes her head. “That sounds rich coming from someone who has to make me choose between two Plant-type Tuners with one of them being able to come back from the grave and change its level like it was nothing. I find your response to be absolutely h-y-p-o-c-r-i-t-i-c-a-l. But for now, I activate the power of Witchcraft Bystreet!”

 

She slaps her Spell Card onto her Duel Disk and it appears behind Edel and Haine. It is a cobblestone street with seven signs depicting different types of stores. Magic seeps through its windows, suggesting that strange things are at work.

 

“You’re up,” says Dawn, bowing to her opponent. Shirobara frowns as she draws a card.

 

“I activate the effect of The World Tree!” she begins. “Whenever a Plant-type monster is destroyed, I gain a ‘Flower Token’. And depending on how many Flower Tokens I offer, I gain some very powerful effects.

 

“So for this, I shall offer two Flower Tokens to destroy Witchcraft Haine!”

 

Two flowers wither from the great tree before Witchcraft Haine shields herself from the inevitable destruction. Shirobara grins as Haine braces for the kaboom…

 

But after five seconds, nothing happens. Witchcraft Haine inspects the sleeves of her coat and sighs when she finds nothing torn.

 

“What?!” Shirobara screeches. “She should’ve been destroyed by now!”

 

“Should have,” Dawn notes. “But this is when the effect of Witchcraft Bystreet comes in. You see, the first time a ‘Witchcraft’ monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, Witchcraft Bystreet negates it.”

 

“Then I shall destroy that next! I offer two more Flower Counters!”

 

Two more flowers wilt before a blast of light destroys Dawn’s Continuous Spell Card. Despite the loss, both Witchcraft Edel and Haine stand strong.

 

“And with that out of the way, it’s time for me to bring one of my lovely blossoms to play. I tune Naturia Rosewhip with Lonefire Blossom and one Rose Token! Let’s go!”

 

Naturia Rosewhip smirks before transforming into three green rings. Lonefire Blossom and a lone Rose Token turn into a group of four stars that fall in line and zip through the rings.

 

**(*3 + *2 + *2 = *7)**

 

_"Lofty rose that buds in a garden of integrity! Bloom here, watered by blue moonlight! Black Rose Moonlight Dragon!!"_

 

With a roar, a large draconic figure emerges onto the field. It has black scales and pink talons, and wings that look similar to that of rose petals trimmed with black. Topping his head are braids of rose petals. Behind him are a collection of black thorny tendrils and a glowing aura like that of pure moonlight. (2400 -) 1200 ATK)

 

When the light dies down, Dawn looks up to see the dragon staring back at her with a look of interest. But that’s not what she’s really seeing.

 

Instead of a dragon, in its place is Mokuba, but with piercing yellow eyes, black scales covering his face and a pair of spiraling dragon horns decorated in rose petals.

 

“M...Mokuba?” Dawn whispers. “You’re...you’re…”

 

This, apparently, is something that Trip didn’t cover in his story. The sight of this strange dragon causes Sonia to scream and hide behind Julian. Julian gulps, imagining he is a knight off to protect the dear princess when he sees the dragon stare at him.

 

“Oh?” Shirobara asks with a tilt of her head. “You happen to know one of my children?”

 

“This...this is…” Dawn looks in disbelief. “He’s a _dragon_?”

 

“That and more…” Shirobara answers all while Black Rose Moonlight Dragon purrs and nuzzles her. “But back to his effect. Whenever Black Rose Moonlight Dragon is Special Summoned, I can return a Special Summoned monster you control back into your hand. And the one I choose is Witchcraft Haine! So go, Black Rose Moonlight Dragon! Rose Ballad!”

 

Black Rose Moonlight Dragon turns his gaze at Witchcraft Haine before another moonlight aura radiates from its body. Witchcraft Haine snarls as she stands her ground.

 

“Haine’s not going down that easily,” says Dawn. “I send one Spell Card from my hand  to the graveyard to activate her effect. Haine can destroy one face-up card you control and the card she chooses is Black Rose Moonlight Dragon!”

 

She slips a card to the graveyard as Haine points towards the Synchro Monster. Four flying needles zip into the air before slicing the monster into pieces, but not before Black Rose Moonlight Dragon unleashes a blast of sound that hurls Haine back into Dawn’s hand.

 

But as Black Rose Moonlight Dragon was destroyed, Dawn swears that she could hear Mokuba crying out in agony.

 

What the hell did Shirobara do to them?

 

“You did it!” says Leon. “You slayed the dragon, Morning Glory!”

 

“Stop calling me that,” Dawn mutters, but she appreciates the cheers the kids are giving her. It’s a total confident boost!

 

“You may have destroyed my Moonlight Dragon,” Shirobara notes. “But without Haine on the field, you won’t be able to protect yourself from my next move! I summon Botanical Girl in Attack Mode!”

 

With a giggle, a woman emerges onto the field, her dress resembling a Venus flytrap and the top of her head resembling a pitcher plant. (1300 -) 650 ATK) A Rose Token appears to her left. (800 DEF)

 

“Then, I will bring back Spore from the grave by Banishing Lonefire Blossom! By doing so, Spore can increase its level equal to that of the monster I choose to Banish!”

 

Lonefire Blossom’s image vanishes as Spore hops onto the field once more, a big grin on its face. (LV: 1 -) 4, 400/800 -) 200/800)

 

 _That makes Spore’s level shoot to four!_ Dawn thinks. _She’s gonna Synchro Summon again!_

 

“Now Spore, Botanical Girl. Let’s bring out my second blossom!”

 

Spore winks before transforming into three rings and Botanical Girl turns into three stars that excitedly gets in line and zooms through the rings.

 

**(*3 + * 4 = * 7)**

 

_"Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"_

 

And then, another dragon emerges onto the field. Unlike Black Rose Moonlight Dragon, which has wings inspired by a rose, Black Rose Dragon looks like a dragon that is born from a rose, with its underside covered by rose petals and longer horns made from rose petals compared to that of his lighter brother. He growls at Dawn before opening his mouth to roar at the girl.  (2400 -) 1200 ATK)

 

And due to the effects of Black Garden, one more Rose Token appears. (800 DEF)

 

“Oh, I almost forgot to mention,” says Shirobara. “Whenever Botanical Girl is sent from the field to the graveyard, I get to take a Plant-type monster with 1000 Defense Points or less from my deck to my hand. So that means you can expect even _more_ surprises hidden within my lovely garden, dear Morning Glory!”

 

 _This can’t be happening..._ Dawn thinks to herself, watching Shirobara take another card to her hand. Instead of the dragon, the young girl briefly sees Seto Kaiba’s figure with the CEO wearing a black coat decorated with rose petals and fierce magenta eyes along with two horns topping his head. _This can’t be Seto Kaiba! I’m supposed to fight_ Seto Kaiba _in a freaking duel? I’d rather swallow glass._

 

“And when Black Rose Dragon is Special Summoned, he destroys all cards on the field!” says Shirobara, snapping Dawn out of her thoughts.

 

“But doesn’t that mean Black Rose Dragon is destroyed?” asks Dawn.

 

“Correct,” Shirobara croons. “That’s why I’m going to dress him up real nice before he burns everything down! I activate my face-down card, Forbidden Dress!”

 

Dawn’s eyes widen at the Quick-play Spell Card of a woman with auburn hair and a white tunic looking at a strange looking dress in front of her. Black Rose Dragon growls softly as its attack drops but a glowing aura surrounds him from the top of his head to the tips of his rose-like feathers. (1200 -) 600 ATK)

 

“Clear the field and let everything be ready for the next step, my love!” says Shirobara. “Black Rose Gale!”

 

Black Rose Dragon screeches before he flaps his mighty wings, the powerful bursts of air he unleashes destroying everything on the field. From the Black Garden to the Rose Tokens to Witchcraft Edel, nothing is safe from his onslaught.

 

“Now,” Shirobara continues, pointing at Dawn.  “Attack directly with Black Rose Flare!”

 

Dawn braces herself as Black Rose Dragon unleashes a fireball that strikes her Duel Disk. It manages to push her back, but not much.

 

**(Dawn: 6200)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 7600)**

 

And the loss of 600 lifepoints isn’t on Dawn’s mind at this point. What she is thinking about is how the famous CEO of Kaiba Corp. is a dragon who has been luring children into this macabre garden for who knows how long. This makes no sense, and this is coming from someone who has been repurporsed, her best friend has puppets that walk and talk like normal humans and three of the people living in Kougami manor are vampires!

 

“How...how is this possible?” Dawn asks.

 

“It’s simple, really,” Shirobara begins. “I’m well versed in the art of dueling so I know how to--”

 

“I don’t mean how you’re capable of Synchro Summoning!” Dawn snaps. “How are Mokuba and Seto Kaiba _dragons_?! Better yet, what’s going on here with Pleasance Tree and the kidnapped children and this garden?!”

 

“...You really want to know?”

 

Dawn nonchalantly shrugs her shoulders. “If I’m gonna be trapped here for who knows how long, I might as well get to know who I’m gonna be stuck with.”

 

“Very well,” says Shirobara. “I’m sure you’ve heard the legend of the Night Garden, correct?”

 

“Just this afternoon,” Dawn answers.

 

“Well,” Shirobara begins. “There’s more to this story than you know. You see, Black Rose Moonlight Dragon told me about your little story about the two boys who hung on that tree. It’s a funny coincidence that you just explained what happened to Mokuba and Seto centuries ago.”

 

“Wait, the two brothers were…” Dawn covers her mouth with her hands. “That...that’s impossible. There’s no way Mokuba would decide to just take a noose and kill himself. No, no no nononono….”

 

“Yes to all of your ‘no’s,” Shirobara sighs. “But to skip the boring part of how the townsfolk buried the brothers in a grave and I revived them then made them take revenge on that horrid Bandit Keith, I decided to gift them with the power of Draconicfiguration.”

 

“Wait, you mean you gave them the ability to _transform_ into dragons?” Dawn repeats.

 

“Is it that obvious?” Shirobara asks. “My dear sons kept me company, chasing away those who would bring harm to the Night Garden and carried children away into my lovely home, where I could tend to them like they were nothing more than another flower that has bloomed underneath the moonlight.”

 

“Wait, doesn’t that mean…” Realization hits Dawn. “They were the one who killed Barbara from that Children’s Home?!”

 

 _“She pulled a long face…”_ Seto hisses in his form as Black Rose Dragon. _“And mother doesn’t like that.”_

 

He laughs, which sounds like a roaring engine, causing the children to scream in terror and hold each other tight. Dawn grits her teeth; the idea of dead dismembered bodies with their entrails spilled out make her sick to her stomach. She can’t help it; after all, she ended up becoming that a year ago.

 

Still, there are more important things to worry about. Taking a deep breath, Dawn turns to the children and smiles at them.

 

“Don’t worry everyone,” says Dawn. “I’m gonna stop this guy no matter what!”

 

“I’d like to see you try,” Shirobara chuckles. “Now, I play one face-down card and that’s it. You’re up now, little Morning Glory.”

 

“Will you stop calling me that?” asks Dawn, drawing her card. She looks at her hand and nods her head. “Well, since you decided to burn everything, I think I can play this without worry. I play the Spell Card Witchcraft Sabotage!”

 

She plays her Spell Card, depicting a red-haired Witchcraft monster calming Witchcraft Edel from covering a sleeping cyan-haired Witchcraft monster with a large glass dome.

 

“This card lets me Special Summon a ‘Witchcraft’ monster from my graveyard with no strings attached! So I’ll bring back Witchcraft Edel so she can lay the smackdown on you!”

 

But just as Witchcraft Edel emerges from the card…

 

“I activate my Trap Card, Ground Collapse!” says Shirobara. “Now by offering a Synchro Monster I control, I can negate your summoning and prevent you from summoning a monster until the end of your turn!”

 

“No!”

 

Black Rose Dragon roars as the Trap Card depicts the ground falling due to a massive earthquake. Witchcraft Edel braces herself, but then she sinks into the ground with a scream, leaving Dawn’s field empty.

 

“Anything else?” asks Shirobara.

 

“...I’ll play two cards face-down,” Dawn mutters, slipping two cards into her Duel Disk. She now has one card in her hand. “That’s it.”

 

“Good move,” Shirobara purrs, drawing her card. “And just to show that I’m a benevolent being who only wants what’s best for lost souls, I play Card of Sanctity!”

 

Coins rain from the sky as both duelists make five more draws until they each have six cards in their hands.

 

“Now, I’ll summon the monster I received from Botanical Girl on my last turn. I summon Flowerbot in Attack Mode!”

 

Rising onto the field is a robot that looks similar to a flower with a yellow face and red metallic petals. In its hands is a raygun that he points at Dawn’s empty field. (1500 ATK)

 

“Next, I play Double Summon to summon Naturia Cosmobeet from my hand!”

 

Dawn gulps as she sees the well-known Spell Card before another Naturia monster appears, depicting a beet with stubby arms and legs, large blue eyes and flowers sprouting from his heads. (700 DEF)

 

“Did I mention that Naturia Cosmobeet is a Tuner?” Shirobara giggles, noticing the look of horror on Dawn’s face. “Time to tune my monsters once again!”

 

Flowerbot transforms into three stars while Naturia Cosmobeet turns into three glowing rings. The three stars align and zip through the rings.

 

**(*3 + *2 = *5)**

 

_“Lady who blooms like the flowers she tends to. Bring the garden of enchantment to life once again! Synchro Summon! Level 5! Garden Rose Maiden!”_

 

Emerging from the grown is a large white rose. When the petals unfurl, there stands an exact replica of Lady Shirobara, her smile serene in contrast to the wicked smirk on her duelist’s face. (1600 ATK)

 

“Another Lady Shirobara?” Mikey asks in confusion.

 

“She’s a pale shadow of the real thing,” Dawn mutters causing Shirobara to snarl.

 

“Garden Rose Maiden,” she begins, gritting her teeth. “Attack directly!”

 

Garden Rose Maiden raises her hands into the air as a storm of white rose petals swirls above her head. Then, she fires her attack at Dawn, who smirks.

 

“She’s gonna have to get in line!” says Dawn. “I activate my face-down card, Back to the Front!”

 

Dawn’s first card flips, revealing Muscle Medic tossing Marauding Captain back to the frontlines while Freed the Matchless General is served tea from some female nurses.

 

“This card lets me Special Summon a monster from my graveyard in Defense Mode. And the monster I choose is Witchcraft Edel!”

 

With an excited yelp, the purple dressed Witchcraft monster appears, crouching in defense with her trusty wrench closeby. (2300 DEF)

 

“Then, I activate my other face-down card! I activate...Witchcraft Masterpiece!”

 

Dawn’s other card flips, depicting a few Witchcraft monsters -- Witchcraft Haine, Edel and the one with cyan hair -- standing in a triangle formation on top of a magic seal. In front of them is a holographic construct of a person.

 

“Now I choose a Spell Card from either of our graveyards and add a copy of it into my hand. And the card I choose is Witchcraft Sabotage!”

 

A card pops out from Dawn’s deck, which Dawn takes into her hand all while Edel snickers at how Garden Rose Maiden must stop her attack.

 

“I’ll have to end my turn there,” Shirobara pouts.

 

“And I start my turn,” says Dawn. “I draw!”

 

She draws a card from her deck, expanding her hand to eight cards.

 

“First, I place Witchcraft Edel in Attack Mode.”

 

Edel stands up, pointing her large wrench at Garden Rose Maiden. (2000 ATK)

 

“Then, I summon Witchcraft Potere in Defense Mode!”

 

With a giggle, the newest Witchcraft monster appears. She is around five to six years old, with blond hair tied into little cat ears and dressed in a white blouse and jean shorts with a denim apron on top of that, where the Witchcraft crest is stamped onto the pocket of said apron. A light green cloak is draped over her body. In her left hand, she wields a staff styled after a trowel and floating above her right hand is an adorable creature made of clay. (2000 DEF)

 

“How adorable!” Shirobara coos. “I’d like to have some adorable clay figurines to make the garden feel more alive!”

 

“That’s gonna have to wait,” says Dawn. “You see, Witchcraft Potere’s effect is exactly like Pittore’s! By sending her and a Spell Card from my hand to the graveyard, I get to Special Summon a ‘Witchcraft’ monster from my deck. And the one I play is ready to set the whole world on fire. I summon...Witchcraft Schmitta!”

 

Potere bows before she is replaced by a new Witchcraft monster who appears to be in her teens. She has red hair tied up into a ponytail, a pair of steampunk goggles perched above her head. She wears a white top, with the Witchcraft symbol stamped in blue on her right side, that exposes a black bra and red Daisy Dukes held with a belt buckle that is gold with a black center.  Strapped to her legs are leather pouches, two on each side, and she wears white knee-length stockings and brown leather boots. In her red gloved hands is her strange weapon with a long blade and two mallets on each side of the blade. (1800 ATK)

 

“And don’t forget Edel’s effect. Now I offer another Spell Card from my hand to Special Summon Witchcraft Haine that’s also in my hand! Remember her? You send her back there when you used your Black Rose Moonlight Dragon’s effect!”

 

Shirobara cringes when the black coat wearing Witchcraft monster appears, four large needles ready to attack. (2400 ATK)

 

“And now it’s time to attack! Witchcraft Schmitta, attack with Vulcan’s Wrath!”

 

Schmitta charges into battle, carrying her hefty blade in hand before she slices Garden Rose Maiden in half.

 

**(Dawn: 6200)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 7400)**

 

“Witchcraft Edel and Witchcraft Haine, do your thing!”

 

The two monsters nod their heads as they charge their attacks. Edel races towards Shirobara and slugs the white rose woman in the stomach with her wrench before Haine follows it up with a slash from a giant needle.

 

**(Dawn: 6200)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 3000)**

 

“I’m ending my turn there,” says Dawn. “And I’ll bring back my first Witchcraft Sabotage to my hand! So summon all the monsters you want; Witchcraft Haine will make her stitches nice and neat for whoever comes in her way.”

 

To emphasize this, Witchcraft Haine performs a series of parries and thrusts with a needle in hand.

 

Shirobara stays silent as she draws her card. When she looks at it, the serene smile on her face transforms into a sadistic grin that causes the children to shriek in terror.

 

“First,” she begins. “I play the card I placed back on top of my deck from Flowerbot’s effect. I play Pot of Avarice!”

 

Dawn grimaces upon seeing the goofy purple pot. Shirobara is quiet as five cards are ejected from her graveyard, slipped back into her deck, and then draws two cards after her deck is shuffled. Upon seeing her newly drawn cards, the sadistic grin on her face is a smile that seems to belong to a psychopath ready to slash Dawn into pieces.

 

“I think you may have spoken too soon,” she says. “Because when you sent Garden Rose Maiden to the graveyard, you activated her special ability! Now I can Banish her from the graveyard to Special Summon a Dragon Synchro monster from the very same place! And the one I choose is Black Rose Moonlight Dragon!”

 

Garden Rose Maiden’s figure appears once more, albeit transparent. She clasps her hands and places them over her heart before she sings and fades away into miniscule grains of light. Then, rising from the ground is Black Rose Moonlight Dragon, who unleashes a roar like a wail at the sacrifice of his dear mother. (2400 ATK)

 

“And unlike his darker brother, Black Rose Moonlight Dragon’s effect works whenever he’s Special Summoned! Now, I return that little seamstress back into your hand!”

 

“And I’ll send your dragon back where he belongs!” Dawn retorts, sending a card from her hand into the graveyard. “If Haine’s going down, she’s dragging her prey with her!”

 

Haine narrows her eyes as she grabs another large needle and races towards the Synchro Monster. When she gets close, she performs two slashes that slices the monster’s head clean off before she leaps back into Dawn’s hand.

 

“What do you say to that?” asks Dawn.

 

“I say that I’m glad you took the bait,” says Shirobara. “Now that Haine is out of the way, I can bring the real star of the show back!

 

“First, from my hand, I summon White Rose Dragon!”

 

A large white rose blooms onto the field. A head peeks out, revealing a baby dragon with the same black body as the Synchro Rose Dragons and green thorns acting as spikes on its tail. Its wings are long white petals that act like fingers. (1200 ATK)

 

“It’s so cute!” Rebecca and Sonia coo.

 

“And when White Rose Dragon is Normal Summoned, I can summon another ‘Rose Dragon’ from my hand,” Shirobara continues. “So I choose to summon the Tuner called Red Rose Dragon!”

 

Then, a large red blooms next to the white one. It crouches on all fours with two red roses on its back and long thin green leaves as wings. (1000 ATK)

 

 _Not good, not good, not good!_ Dawn thinks. _She’s gonna summon_ another _Black Rose Dragon!_

 

“Exactly!” says Shirobara, her grin stretching out like bubble gum. “Now my dragons, come together and Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon!”

 

White Rose Dragon turns into a quartet of stars that zip into the trio of green rings that was once Red Rose Dragon before the figure of Black Rose Dragon emerges onto the field with a mighty roar. (2400 ATK)

 

“And that’s not the last of my Rose Dragons!” Shirobara continues. “When White Rose Dragon is sent to the graveyard as Synchro Material, I get to send a Level 4 or higher Plant-type monster from my deck to my graveyard.

 

“And when Red Rose Dragon is used as Synchro Material, I get to Special Summon a ‘Rose Dragon’ from my deck. And if the Synchro Monster was either ‘Black Rose Dragon’ or a Plant-type monster, I get to take one of two specific cards into my hands, not that I will need them to defeat you.

 

“So now, I bring forth a dragon that blooms once in a blue moon. I summon Blue Rose Dragon!”

 

As Shirobara takes one card to the graveyard and one card to her hand, a serpentine dragon with wings from a blue rose emerges. (1600 ATK) But he doesn’t stay long when Black Rose Dragon unleashes a scorching wave of heat from its powerful wings that causes all monsters on the field to be destroyed once again.

 

“Wait,” says Dawn. “What was the point of summoning another monster when Black Rose Dragon’s going to send it to the graveyard?”

 

“That’s exactly the point!” Shirobara shrieks. “When Blue Rose Dragon is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, I can summon either a ‘Black Rose Dragon’ or Plant-type monster from my graveyard. Guess who’s back~!”

 

Dawn says nothing when Black Rose Dragon rises like a phoenix, growling at the girl in her black dress. (2400 ATK)

 

Dawn snarls, baring her teeth in an attempt to show that she is just as fearsome as the dragon.

 

“Seto Kaiba,” she begins. “I don’t know if you can hear me there but lemme tell you something...you are a JERK!”

 

The dragon replies to the insult by opening his mouth, unleashing another roar that threatens to knock Dawn off of her feet.

 

“You’re only saying that because you have lifepoints to spare,” says Shirobara. “But now, you’ll see one of my powerful generals. All I have to do is Banish a Level 7 Plant-type monster from my hand and in the graveyard to summon him.”

 

“When did you send a Level 7 Plant-type monster to your grave…” Dawn’s eyes widen as she recalls the effect of White Rose Dragon. “Oh no…”

 

“Oh yes,” says Shirobara, relishing the look of horrified realization on Dawn’s face. “Now I Banish Fallen Angel of Roses from my grave and Queen Angel of Roses from my hand to unleash the guardian angel that protects my garden from those who would defile it!”

 

Two figures appear in front of Shirobara before they grab each other’s hands and lift them into the air. A light shines upon them before they fly into the sky and Shirobara chants,

 

_"Come forth, from the sacred land at the World's beginning!! Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel descends!"_

 

And that figure does descend.

 

It is an angel with two pairs of wings the two on his right a dark violet and the two on his left crimson. His skin is the color of alabaster with gold bracelets, and golden emblems with peridot insets on his boots. The only article of clothing he has is a white skirt with trails of white cloth dangling down his sides. His head is covered by a white helm, but his white eyes stare deep into Dawn’s soul as if disapproving at the fact that she managed to escape death. (2900 ATK)

 

“And I’m not done,” Shirobara sneers. “I equip Black Rose Dragon with Thorn of Malice, giving him 600 more attack points!”

 

An Equip Spell depicting an evil eye peeking through a wall of thorns appears. Then, these very same thorns wrap around Black Rose Dragon, who lets out a roar of pain from how the thorns pierce its black scales. (2400 -) 3000 ATK)

 

From how Dawn see it, she sees Seto Kaiba’s entire body wrapped in these thorns. And he is angry; a raging dragon about to set fire to a nearby village because he can.

 

“It’s over, little girl!” Shirobara screams. “Attack her directly! Rosaria, attack with Valhalla Harvest! And Black Rose Dragon, burn her down with Black Rose Flare!”

 

Rosaria strikes first, flying towards Dawn and brandishing a claymore colored purple and red like his wings. He performs a diagonal slash that causes Dawn to drop to her knees.

 

Then, Black Rose Dragon opens his mouth and fires a large blast of fire, big enough to engulf Dawn. All Dawn can see is the suicide bomber who caused her death, the maniacal look on his face before he pulled the trigger and caused the explosion that ended in her death in her brother’s arms.

 

When the attack strikes, the only thing Dawn can do is scream, and she has not screamed this loud since that night when she was kidnapped. She collapses onto the ground, eyes wide as her lifepoints drop down significantly.

 

**(Dawn: 300)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 3000)**

 

“Get up Miss Morning Glory!” says Leon. “Please get up!”

 

“This is getting scary,” Rebecca sobs, clutching her teddy bear. “Someone save us!”

 

As the kids start to panic, Dawn sits up, wrapping her arms around Tango as if he is a security blanket. She’s in trouble. She’s down to 300 lifepoints, none of her Spell Cards are strong enough to stop these monsters and she is all alone without anyone contacting her because she was stupid enough to go alone to meet up with a repurposed moonlight dragon boy close to midnight!

 

Just one more turn and she will be trapped here forever. That she’s not worried about, but those children are counting on her. She will never forgive herself for as long as her repurposed body lets her live if any of the children die under Shirobara’s hands.

 

 _This can’t be how it ends..._ Dawn thinks to herself. _What was I thinking going out by myself, playing the hero? I’m no hero...I’m utterly useless! I couldn’t stop mom from killing herself, I couldn’t cure my brother’s depression...I got myself caught in the crossfire while Yvonne ended up killing all of those people…_

 

_It’s all over...I’m gonna lose and no one knows that I’m here. Yvonne, May, Max, Brendan, Takeru, Specter, Ryoken, Yusaku...I’m sorry...I’m so sorry…._

 

Tears fall down her eyes as she begins to sob. She feels so pathetic. What the hell was she thinking? She’s no hero. She’s not strong or brave or courageous like her friends or family. She’s a horrible person who doesn’t deserve love, just like Ursula said that fateful day. She deserves to die in the Night Garden.

 

Suddenly, Dawn is swept off of her feet and into a warm hug.

 

Strong arms press against her heart. She knows these hands, knows them like they are her very own. How much she cried to be wrapped up in this embrace when she was younger, only to finally get it just seconds before her death…

 

“Y...Yusaku…” Dawn whispers, looking up into a pair of warm peridot eyes. “You’re...how did you…”

 

Yusaku just lays his chin on the crown of his sister’s head and smiles. “Let’s just say that we got a little...curious.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Dawn!!!!”

 

Dawn turns around, seeing three very familiar people approach her.

 

“Yvonne! May! R...Ryoken-san!” she exclaims. “What are you all doing here?”

 

“That stone-faced storyteller friend of yours gave me a call,” Yvonne explains, holding her cellphone out. “And we rushed to Stardust Road to get back up.”

 

“I warned you!” May exclaims in a tone of a mother scolding her child, carrying her black and white parasol in one hand. “What were you thinking going out like that?”

 

“How was I supposed to know that Mokuba wanted to turn me into fertilizer?!” Dawn exclaims before sighing in relief. “You guys…”

 

“Takeru-san and Specter couldn’t make it, but they told us to give you this,” says Yvonne, pulling two items out from a bag. “Catch!”

 

She tosses the items towards Dawn, who catches them with ease. One of them is a metal thermos and the other is a bundle of lavender wrapped in a handkerchief.

 

“They’re so thoughtful,” Dawn whispers, unraveling the handkerchief and inhaling the scent of lavender with a sigh. She then looks at the metal thermos. “And is this…”

 

“Takeru-san’s Aztec hot chocolate!” Yvonne finishes. “He didn’t have time to truly steep it, but it’s the thought that counts.”

 

Yusaku opens the thermos for his sister and pours a cup for her. Dawn takes the cup into her hand and sips it, tears falling down her eyes from how spicy it is and how she is showered with so much love. And here she is, being so selfish and thinking about herself…

 

As she finishes her cup of cocoa, Dawn turns to the person who hasn’t spoken yet, feeling ashamed just by staring into his eyes.

 

“You came here too, Ryoken-san…” she whispers, attempting to avoid eye contact with the white-haired man who stole her brother’s heart. Even after all this time, she still has this fear that he will take her brother’s love away, leaving her all alone.

 

Ryoken nods his head. “You are a very important part of Yusaku’s life, and mine. Of course I’d come for you.”

 

“He threatened to murder Trip if he didn’t explain himself immediately,” Yusaku explains. “He was that worried for you.”

 

“He...he was?” Dawn asks, feeling slightly embarrassed.

 

“Of course he was,” says Yusaku. “Just because he’s been helping me out with his ‘therapy’ sessions, doesn’t mean that Ryoken hates you. He loves you, Dawn.”

 

Dawn’s eyes swell with tears once more as she feels like she wants to run into Ryoken’s arms and apologize for ever doubting him. Ryoken’s smile is all that needs to be said.

 

_It’s all right. I forgive you. You’ll always be showered with love._

 

Yvonne notices the five children and waves towards them. “Hey kids, remember me?”

 

Mikey turns and gasps. “It’s the puppeteer! What are you doing here?”

 

“We’re off to bring you to a nice safe home away from crazy gardeners and her savage roses,” Yvonne answers. “Come over here where it’s safe.”

 

The children nod their heads, but just before they are about to take a step, large vines rise from the ground and form a large domed cage above their heads. The five scream in terror as they try to break out of their prison all while Shirobara snarls, her long blond hair sticking out, exposing mad sapphire eyes..

 

“Not yet,” she states. “The duel isn’t over. You little ones only get to go free if Morning Glory wins.”

 

“You can do it, Morning Glory!” says Sonia.

 

“Save us, Morning Glory!” Julia shouts.

 

Dawn turns and sees the five children cheering for her, no longer frightened nor scared of the situation. Rather, they all have smiles on their faces, mostly to cheer her up after everything that has happened.

 

“Cheer all you want,” Shirobara hisses. “But I am such a gracious host. Morning Glory, why just give up now and let yourself stay in the peace of the Night Garden forever? There will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more hurt. You won’t have anyone insult you or call you names. You will never have to feel abandoned. You’ll be happy here forever more.”

 

It is a very tempting offer as Dawn looks at the garden. At its beauty. At its tranquility. For who knows how long, children have entered this garden and its wonders, smelling flowers, running and playing underneath the moonlight, looking in awe at the animals who make their home here, and hearing Shirobara’s wondrous tales.

 

It’s nice, but that’s all it is.

 

Dawn removes herself from her brother’s embrace and turns to Shirobara. She takes a deep breath, stands as tall as a soldier and says, “No.”

 

Shirobara blinks. “N...no?”

 

“NO!” Dawn shouts. “I’m not going to give up now; not when I have so many people who want me to win, who want me to come back into their arms! Not when I have so much people who love me from the bottoms of their heart.”

 

Shirobara’s face falters slightly. “But their love is limited. They will leave you behind, filling you with endless suffering and pain. I can give you want you want, just like I gave it to all of the children that have entered the garden.”

 

“That’s because you give it to all of those children before they even have a chance to live!” Dawn screams, loud enough for Shirobara and Black Rose Dragon to shrink back in terror. “Yes, it’s horrible that they don’t have loving families or the like and, okay, maybe you and your sons did a good job in killing that bitch.” She looks to the five kids and silently apologizes before continuing. “But to let them ‘rest’ in your garden without giving them a chance to be happy is nothing of cruel.

 

“Sure there’s gonna be lots of pain, but that’s part of life itself! To be happy without understanding anger, sadness or hurt isn’t living at all.” Dawn places a hand on her heart. “I suffered through so much these past few years, but I also gained a lot of happiness from people who truly care for me...so let me just say this, Shirobara…”

 

She turns to Yusaku who nods his head as he takes Tango into his hands. He places Tango’s beak next to his sister’s cheek as if the penguin is giving her a kiss. Dawn giggles at the gesture before she points at Shirobara, filled with renewed confidence.

 

“I am gonna reject your reality and substitute it with my own!”

 

Shirobara frowns. “And how are you planning to do about it?”

 

“By ending this duel, finding good homes for these children and ensure that no one ever has to go through this whole ordeal EVER AGAIN!!!” Dawn roars, drawing her card. “My move!”

 

“Go get her!” Yvonne shouts.

 

“You can do it, Dawn!” May adds.

 

Ryoken doesn’t say anything, but the smile on his lips says enough.

 

Yusaku steps back as Dawn looks at the card in her hand. The look in her eye is exactly like his own whenever he makes up his mind on something. He can’t help but smile at how much his little sister has grown: from being inspired to help build a Duel School to standing up against this strange rose woman despite the odds against her.

 

“I play Magical Mallet,” says Dawn. “Now I’ll exchange two cards from my hand with two newly drawn ones.”

 

The red mallet with wings briefly appears as Dawn sends two cards to her deck to be shuffled. Then, she makes two new draws before smiling.

 

Dawn shows a card to Shirobara. “I play Witchcraft Sabotage one last time to bring back Witchcraft Edel! And then I’ll summon Witchcraft Schmitta from my hand before offering her and one Spell Card to the grave to summon a ‘Witchcraft’ monster from my deck. And the one I choose is the one and only Witchcraft Master Verre!”

 

Edel appears once more with a cackle, eyes wide as she points her wrench at the imposing monsters. (2000 ATK) Then, a brief image of the fiery Witchcraft monster appears once more before she shows a Spell Card in her hand and waves goodbye. She disappears in a plume of fire before Dawn’s final Witchcraft monster appears, resting on a glass couch. She looks around the same age as Dawn, with shoulder length cyan hair with violet streaks. The left side of her hair is tied into a ponytail by a white flower. She wears a white dress with thin black straps and a pink ribbon around the waist along with matching white leggins and shoes that match her dress. Resting by her side is a trident with prongs made of glass and a blue orb in the center.  (2800 DEF)

 

“That’s your great master?” Shirobara asks, noticing Master Verre’s stats.

 

“Looks can be oh so deceiving,” says Dawn. “Now, then…”

 

She takes a deep breath before she raises her hands above her head, remembering how Yusho Sakaki introduced himself to her, Yvonne and May almost a year ago when they dueled him. In her mind, a spotlight shines above her head and a drumroll is heard in the background as she announces, “Ladies and gentlemen! The end of this grand duel has arrived! But before I finish, please let me introduce you all to my powerful duo!”

 

She brings her left arm out to Witchcraft Edel, who performs a V-sign next to her right eye. “First, is the ever loyal Witchcraft Edel! Without her guidance, I wouldn’t be able to bring all of my important players onto the field!”

 

Dawn then points to points to Witchcraft Master Verre, who blows kisses to the captive audience. “And second, meet Witchcraft Master Verre. She may have appeared in the eleventh hour, but hey, better late than never!”

 

With this, Dawn points at Black Rose Dragon. “Now Witchcraft Edel, attack Black Rose Dragon one last time and bring an end to this nightmare once and for all!”

 

Edel nods her head and races towards Black Rose Dragon, preparing her wrench as she leaps into the air, her figure silhouetted by the full moon.

 

“You foolish girl!” Shirobara laughs. “Edel is too weak to defeat Black Rose Dragon! You’re finished!”

 

“Am I?” asks Dawn, a smirk on her face. “Well then, why don’t you look at your Duel Disk if you’re so confident that you’re gonna win this?”

 

Shirobara looks at her Duel Disk and notices that Edel’s stats have skyrocketed.

 

“W...what is this?!” Shirobara screams. “Why is her attack points greater than my dragon’s?!”

 

“That’s because I activate Master Verre’s special ability!” Dawn screams. “Whenever a Spellcaster monster I control goes into battle, I can increase the attack and defense of that Spellcaster by 1000 for every Spell Card I have in my hand, provided that they all have different names.

 

“And guess what? I have _four_ different Spell Cards in my hand!”

 

Dawn reveals the four cards: Witchcraft Creation, Witchcraft Collaboration, Witchcraft Draping and Witchcraft Scroll. The four cards glow as Witchcraft Edel cackles at the power that pulses in her veins. (2000/2300 -) 6000/6300)

 

“Overkill, much?” Ryoken observes.

 

“This is gonna be epic!” May squeals. “Like that Shinsuke Nakamura/AJ Styles fight where they go all Bullet Club mid-match!!”

 

“This attack isn’t just for me, Shirobara,” says Dawn. “This attack is for all the children whose lives you ripped away for your own selfishness. This attack is for Yvonne, who has suffered so much like I have yet still keeps standing. This attack is for May, whose blood pulses in my veins and who reminded me that there are people who truly care for me. This attack is for Ryoken, who brought me into his life even though he didn’t have to. This is for Takeru and Specter, who treat me like a princess and go as far as make these gifts for me to prove that they are with me in spirit.

 

“And most importantly, this attack is for my brother who I would NEVER trade for! Even if you gave me the entire world! GET HER, EDEL!!!!”

 

 _“Fooly Cooly!”_ Edel screams just as she descends and brings her giant wrench down on Black Rose Dragon, shattering the mighty dragon as if it is made out of glass before she drops onto her knees and gives Dawn a thumbs up.

 

**(Dawn: 300)-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Shirobara: 0)**

 

Dawn pants for breath as the holograms vanish, dropping to her knees as she feels her anger subside. Yusaku is immediately by his sister’s side, running a hand down her spine as his sister calm downs.

 

“Are you all right?” he asks, green eyes filled with concern.

 

Dawn turns to her brother and smiles. “I could use a hug.”

 

Yusaku smiles and hugs his sister, tears in his eyes all while the five children, Yvonne and May cheer and Ryoken nods his head.

 

“That was _c’est magnifique_!” Yvonne shouts. “You really showed her what you’re made of.”

 

“Morning Glory did it!” Rebecca cheers. “Hooray!”

 

The children cheer and applaud Dawn as the navy-haired girl slowly stands up, Yusaku placing a hand around her shoulder to keep her steady as she cradles the thermos of hot chocolate and the lavender in the handkerchief in her arms. She could really go for a nice nap with some lavender scented pillows and candles that smell like hot chocolate with peppermint when you light them.

 

“Here’s your bag,” says May, taking the black bat bag that has been left alone for the entire duel and slings it over Dawn’s shoulder. “You have no idea how long it took to make that pretty thing after all.”

 

“Thanks,” says Dawn as she and Yusaku stuff everything in their hands into the bag. Thank goodness it’s enchanted to stuff anything, up to a kitchen sink, inside without causing it to sag.  “Now all we have to do is get out of here before…”

 

“No!”

 

Everyone turns to see Shirobara panting for breath, eyes glowing with fire that is ready to burn the entire garden down if it means getting revenge.

 

“This isn’t how it’s supposed to end!” she roars. “I will not allow myself to lose these children! They belong to me!”

 

“They aren’t yours and they never will be!” Dawn shouts. “We had a deal! You let me and the children go if I won!”

 

“Fine, fine,” says Shirobara, calming down. “I will let you six go...but you never said anything about your friends here!”

 

At this, a duet of roars is heard throughout the garden. Everyone looks up to see the silhouettes of Black Rose Dragon and Black Rose Moonlight Dragon stare down at them, their shadows covering the uninvited guests.

 

 _“This is for our dear mother!”_ Black Rose Moonlight Dragon screeches, body covered with a glowing aura.

 

“Wait, was that Mokuba’s voice?” asks Yvainne. “Don’t tell me...that dragon ate him?!”

 

“That dragon _is_ Mokuba,” says Dawn. “We have to get out now!”

 

 _“Oh no you won’t!”_ Black Rose Dragon roars. _“You’re gonna pay for that last attack, witch!”_

 

“I’m no witch,” Dawn wants to say but Black Rose Dragon unleashing its flare attack stops her. Fire starts to scorch the garden as the children scream in fear.

 

“We got to get them to safety!” says Yusaku.

 

“We need to calm this fire down first,” says Yvonne, seeing the garden starting to burn with each passing second. “Too bad we can’t conjure a storm or the likes.”

 

“You can’t,” says Ryoken. “But Yusaku and I can. Ready?”

 

Yusaku nods his head as he and Ryoken extend a hand out, their eyes glowing cyan as a large gust of wind blows across the garden.

 

“STORM ACCESS!”

 

A purple and blue vortex appears above their heads as rain falls down upon the garden. As this goes on, Yvonne and May rush towards the cage.

 

“How are we gonna cut it open?” asks Yvonne.

 

“We don’t,” says May, spinning the parasol in her hands. “Stand back everyone!”

 

She brings her parasol back as if she is up to bat, then swings it towards the cage. A storm of squeaking bats fly out and begin to nibble on the vines as if they are delicious fruits. The children look in awe as the bats cut a big enough hole for them to exit.

 

“Stay close kids,” says Yvonne, wearing one of her trademark performing smiles. “We’ll get you out of this rain and into some warm clothes.”

 

“And there will be cups of hot cocoa courtesy of Takeru-san!” May adds. “Hold hands and follow us.”

 

The children nod their heads and begin to follow the puppeteer and vampire out of the garden. Meanwhile, Black Rose Moonlight Dragon dives down, planning to take Dawn into its grasp like she is a princess.

 

And while Dawn is treated like a princess, she isn’t as helpless as one.

 

Dawn pulls out an item from her bag -- a large needle like the ones in Witchcraft Haine’s artwork. She grips onto the eye of said needle like the hilt of a sword and waits….waits...waits…

 

When she sees the magenta eyes of the dragon, she charges forward, ignoring the pounding in her ears, the roar of the wind...she rides with the wind, like her brother does. She _is_ the wind.

 

And she brings her arm back before performing a thrust straight into the dragon’s heart, hearing Mokuba within the dragon’s exterior scream in pain before he drops to the ground, transforming into the boy with black hair and the white scarf. Dawn returns the needle into her bag before pulling out a sword similar to the one Witchcraft Schmitta uses in battle, although it’s colored blue and white rather than red and gold.

 

“You like playing with fire right?” asks Dawn, watching Mokuba slowly lift his head. “Well, _so do I_!”

 

As she raises the sword above her head, Mokuba’s amethyst eyes are filled with fear -- something he has not felt in such a long time. Time seems to slow down as Dawn brings the sword down on his head.

 

“NO!”

 

And then, a strong hand pushes him out of the side and takes the blow, blue flames from Dawn’s weapon licking their skin as they scream.

 

“No!” Mokuba cries. “Mother!!!”

 

The person who took the blow is Lady Shirobara who stands tall despite her dress and hair singed with blue flames and Dawn looking like a knight in armor ready to slay the next dragon in her path.

 

Black Rose Dragon, who was just about to snack on both Ryoken and Yusaku, turns to see his mother dying. Then, he starts to fall, his body shrinking until there is no dragon, but rather Seto Kaiba about to smack his head onto the cobblestone roads. Fortunately, Ryoken dives toward the body just in time, rolling onto the grass a few feet.

 

“I don’t think you need to have your neck broken a second time,” Ryoken notes, placing a hand on the dead grass. “What the…”

 

The garden begins to wilt, the flowers and leaves start to turn black. The ground starts to collapse. But at this time, Yvonne and May have escorted the children back to the entrance to the garden and are waiting for everyone else to get out.

 

“We need to get out now,” says Yusaku. “The garden is falling apart!”

 

“But how?” asks Ryoken.

 

His answer comes from Dawn preparing to kill Shirobara where she stands, the white rose lady’s skin burnt from the flames of Dawn’s weapon. Thunder and lightning flash, rain splashes on Dawn’s face as she prepares to end this nightmare once and for all.

 

“Don’t hurt her!” Mokuba screams, tears in his eyes. “Don’t hurt our mother!”

 

“She’s not your mother!” Dawn shouts. “She just brainwashed you into thinking she was! If she loved you, she wouldn’t have told you and your brother to drag innocent children to their deaths!”

 

“I loved those children so…” Shirobara murmurs. “Every single one of them…”

 

“Loved them enough to kill them.” Dawn spits out. “Now look me in the eyes. At least have your chin up when I kill you.”

 

“Stop, Dawn!” says Yusaku, grabbing his sister’s wrist. “We have to go!”

 

“But…”

 

The ground nearly collapsing beneath her feet is enough proof that she has to stop. She sighs, slips her sword back into her bag, then drags Mokuba to his feet. The three race to the entrance where Ryoken has the unconscious Seto Kaiba draped over his shoulder.

 

“Hurry!” Ryoken shouts, noticing how the animals howl in pain and the hands planted in the dirt start flailing about in rage. “This place won’t last longer!”

 

As they continue to run, Dawn can’t help but look over her shoulder at the pathetic site that is Shirobara. Was her intentions good in that she wanted to make children happy? Yes. Were her methods good? Not in the slightest.

 

It reminds her so much of her brother’s “therapy”. Yes, the idea of Ryoken hypnotizing Yusaku sounds bad, but without that therapy...without it, Yusaku wouldn’t be holding her hand or hugging her. He’d still be rejecting her attempts to be in his arms and find himself unable to interact with anyone.

 

Was Ryoken in the wrong for doing so? Was Shirobara wrong for wanting to make these children happy?

 

….

 

Dawn stops running, hands balled into fists before she turns heel and races back to Shirobara.

 

“Dawn!” Yusaku shouts. “What are you --”

 

Dawn quickens her pace, jumping over a chunk of ground before she stops in front of Shirobara and takes the rose maiden into her arms, as if the woman’s weight is the weight of a feather (a benefit to her repurposement is the increased strength Ryoken gave her). She takes a deep breath and rushes back to her friends, leaping over the numerous hands that try to snatch onto her ankles, wishing to drag the repurposed girl with them in the hopes that she will save them too.

 

“No one hurts my friend!” Yvonne shouts, eyes glowing mad. “Take this!”

 

Yvonne calls upon the multitude of glowing strings around her fingers and flings them towards the blooming flowers, tangling them with all of her might. She digs her feet into the ground as the hands try to drag her away, hoping to bide enough time for Dawn to make it back to them.

Dawn kicks and stomps on the hands, ignoring the sickening snaps and dislocated fingers as she makes it to the other side.

 

“Let’s go!” says Ryoken, looking out of the portal to see Trip staring back at them. “Now!”

 

With no time to waste, everyone enters the portal…

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

And eight bodies are thrown out of Pleasance Tree before the portal seals itself shut for good.

 

Dawn groans as she feels something on top of her. Said something is her brother, holding her tight.

 

“Nii-san,” she murmurs, running a hand through navy, pink and cyan hair.

 

Yusaku smiles and places a kiss on his sister’s forehead. “That was very reckless of you, you know?”

 

Dawn looks at the person next to her and sighs. “What she did wasn’t morally right, but her intentions…”

 

She trails off as she notices Ryoken standing next to her, an all-knowing look in his eye. Meanwhile, Yvonne lets out a sigh of relief.

 

“That...that was exhausting,” she notes. “Trip, next time you might wanna warn us earlier about these midnight excursions. I don’t think mom is gonna like why I came back home in wet pajamas.”

 

“I’d be more worried as to how we’re going to corral these little ones,” May notes, seeing the five children. “I don’t think there’s enough of Takeru’s hot chocolate to keep them busy.”

 

There is a groan from both Kaiba brothers as they open their eyes. At the sight of their poor mother’s burnt mother they can only rush towards her and help her sit up.

 

“Mother, don’t leave!” Seto shouts. “Please don’t leave…”

 

Mokuba covers his face as tears stream down his cheeks. As this goes on, Dawn stands up.

 

“How did the garden start dying like that?” she asks.

 

“Because Shirobara’s lifeforce is tied to it,” Ryoken muses. “Or maybe she needs those children to keep it alive. Was this mentioned in any of those stories, Trip?”

 

Trip shakes his head. “No. And perhaps, we’ll never know now.”

 

Shirobara groans softly, opening a blue eye to see her sons crying over her. She smiles as she sits up and wraps the two in a gentle embrace.

 

“Don’t cry for me, my loves,” she says in her soft and gentle voice. “It takes more than a simple fire to take me down.”

 

“But the garden,” Mokuba cries. “It’s gone...all because of her!”

 

He points at Dawn, who looks back at them with a look of pity and anger on her face.

 

“I didn’t want her to kill any more children, but I couldn’t stand the idea of letting her rot when she ‘raised’ you and Seto for most of your undead life,” she says. “Yeah, I’m soft. What are you gonna do about it?”

 

“...Thank you,” Seto says, relief on his face. “Thank you for saving mother.”

 

“Well, I can’t let you lose your mother like I lost mine,” Dawn mutters before she leans onto Yusaku’s shoulder. “So tired…”

 

Yusaku places a hand on Dawn’s forehead. “You’re burning up a fever. Looks like you’ll be stuck in the manor for a while.”

 

“That’s fine. As long as you come and visit me whenever you’re free from your ‘therapy’ sessions.”

 

Yusaku chuckles and wraps his sister in a tight hug.

 

“Well, that’s nice and all,” Yvonne notes. “But we still have to figure out what to do with these kids. We need to find a place for them to stay and someone to take care of them. And, unfortunately for you guys, I already have my hands full with my little poppets and all.”

 

There is some silence as everyone tries to figure out a solution. Then, Dawn snaps her fingers.

 

“You know what?” she begins. “I’ve heard that it’s pretty _in_ to have a non-profit business....”

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

One month later...

 

“Nii-chan, did you hear the news?” asks Dawn, as she, Yusaku and Ryoken sit underneath the shade of Pleasance Tree, a picnic laid out for the three of them. “The Night Garden Foster Home has had another successful adoption!”

 

“Really now?” asks Yusaku, looking at the text message on his sister’s phone.

 

“Yeah,” Dawn says. “Thanks to a generous donation from Kaiba Corp., the Night Garden has been running smoothly to take in any and all children into the loving arms of a lady who likes to be called Miss White Rose. Already have those five had someone to take them in! Rebecca has a grandfather and Mikey, Leo, Julian and Sonia all have big brothers to care for them now.”

 

“That’s good,” says Yusaku. “They all deserve to belong in the arms of someone who truly loves them so.”

 

Ryoken replies with a chuckle as he wraps his arms around Yusaku’s waist. “I agree with that wholeheartedly.”

 

Dawn giggles as she opens her bag. “So, you guys mind if I read you a story of mine?”

 

“Is it one of your assignments?” asks Yusaku, seeing Dawn pull out a book out of her bag.

 

“No, it’s one of my favorite picture books!” Dawn answers, showing the cover to Ryoken and Yusaku. “The same one that inspired me to name nii-chan’s gift ‘Tango’. I...I feel like it talks about all of us.”

 

“You think of Yusaku and I as penguins?” asks Ryoken.

 

This causes Dawn to burst out laughing, lying on her back before she takes a deep breath and sits up once again.

 

“I think of Yusaku and you as two souls destined to be together,” Dawn says. “And I’m Tango, the little penguin chick you adopted. I just...I don’t know what’s gonna happen in the future, but I wanna at least spend it with the both of you, and everyone who has motivated me to be my best. That is...if you’ll let me.”

 

Yusaku reaches out towards his sister and places a hand underneath her chin, tilting it up so she gazes into a pair of peridot and blue topaz eyes.

 

“Always,” he says.

 

Dawn smiles as she picks up the book and begins to read. “‘And Tango Makes Three,’” she recites. “‘In the middle of New York City there is a great park called Central Park. Children love to play there. It has a toy-boat pond where then can sail their boats. It has a carousel to ride in the summer and an ice rink to skate on in the winter…’

 

“‘Best of all, it has its very own zoo. Every day families of all kinds go to visit all of the animals that live there…’”

 

And as she reads, she does not pay attention to the boy with the orange hooded jacket, whose face is covered with a grey mask, observing her. Underneath the mask, he smiles. For now, all is right in Carroll City.

 

With a nod of his head, he walks off, all while carrying a white rose in his hands.

* * *

 

_“I Understood That Reference!”_

 

 

  * __The songs Dawn uses for her story are “The Hanging Tree” (well known from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) and “Jo” from Goldfrapp.__


  * _The Creative Writing Teacher, Lex, is from the now defunct Pokémon Learning Center website, which had Flash animated skits and lessons to teach kids Math, Language arts, Science and Social Studies. Lex was the guide for language arts._


  * _Trip’s alias of “The Curious” comes from the horror anthology kid series known as “Creeped Out”. Everything that Trip says is true: The Curious is a strange grey masked figure (played as a male but in-universe, that may not be the case) who collects strange tales -- or rather a souvenir in relationship to said tale -- and announces his presence with an eerie whistle (which you’ll have to watch the show online to hear it)_


  * _“Salute the Sun”: Anyone who plays Dark Souls will get this reference._


  * _“Wear something...black.” This line comes from “American Horror Story: Coven”. And Dawn’s outfits is from the credits of “Rise of Darkrai”._


  * _Fans of the original Yu-Gi-Oh series know of the five children mentioned. For those who don’t know about Julian and Sonia (because their names were never mentioned in the dub), they were Raphael’s younger brother and sister. Barbara comes from Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds, though._


  * _The inspiration of the hands sprouting out from the grass is from the Vocaloid song “Fear Garden” where the singer, Rin Kagamine, has a fascination with chopping arms off and planting them like they are flowers._


  * _“‘Wait’, you say, do I look like a waiter?” - This is one of Kefka’s famous lines in Final Fantasy VI, responding to Sabin shouting “Wait!”_


  * _“Fooly Cooly!” Edel’s cry is from the anime of the same name (usually known as FLCL). The minute I saw Edel’s artwork, I honestly saw Haruko Haruhara and her Rickenbacker._


  * _“And Tango Makes Three” - This is a well-known picture book based off a true story of male penguin couple Roy and Silo who would eventually raise a baby chick all on their own. The Penguin Torpedo is based on a monster that appeared in the original anime. And also it was given on Dawn’s 10th birthday; in the Pokémon anime, you’re a trainer when you hit 10 and her starter mon was Piplup._


  * _Shirobara’s name literally means “White Rose”. The inspiration came from the Japanese brand name._


  * _The Ursula mentioned in Dawn’s backstory was one of Dawn’s Pokémon Coordinator rivals in the anime. She was essentially the Harley for May._



 

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

**_Vision: Love and pain are one of the same. Emotions blooming from a single source and staying within one’s heart for all eternity if one so chooses._ **

 

**_If you are in need of one or the other, come to the Night Garden and take a rest underneath the stars, one hand reaching out for the moon or for a woman with a dress made from a large white rose. She will heal your heart and will make you, for a single night, one of her little flowers resting in the deep dark earth below._ **

 

**_The Curious: Thank you for that, Vision. Now, let’s get a sneak peek of the next story and…_ **

 

**_Oh dear. This won’t end well._ **

**_\-- -- -- -- -- -- --_ **

 

 **_Guignol: This is HORRIBLE! Someone has stolen my beloved dolls_ ** **and** **_my schtick of being a master puppeteer. This is something that should not be allowed and something that I will NOT ALLOW!_ **

 

 **_Next time: To find this wicked thief, the Grand Lorde Guignol must stage a dazzling show against this dastardly villain, only to find that the enemy she has been chasing all along has a few strings attached to them. A_ ** **lot** **_of strings attached, actually._ **

 

**_“Karakuri Circus” coming next._ **


	2. Karakuri Circus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yvonne wants to perform a puppet show, but instead must duel a mysterious puppeteer when her puppets wind up missing.

**_Carroll City is filled with unique people._ **

 

**_There are those who can summon a storm, there are those who can transform into dragons, or breathe fire. There are a few who have vampire blood running through their veins._ **

 

**_And then, there are those who have been “repurposed”, their bodies held together with stitches and black magic, their souls bound to a vessel of flesh that does not age, and assigned a new role for them to play._ **

 

**_Welcome back to this collection. I am your host, “The Curious”, and today’s tale talks about the idea of a puppet obtaining a soul of its own. What would be their reaction? What would it be like for them to walk and talk without strings holding them down? And what repercussions will this lead to?_ **

 

**_For this, I think it’ll be best if the resident marionette master tells this tale. Ready to take the stage, Grand Lorde Guignol?_ **

 

**_0-0-0-0-0-0-0_ **

 

**_Guignol: Why do we have such a fascination with dolls, puppets and the like?_ **

 

**_Is it the way we can play with them, the way we can make them be whoever we want them to be? The way we project parts of ourselves into them?_ **

 

**_For me, I have such a fascination because they happened to be my family. Many children would say that their stuffed teddies and dollies are ‘friends’, but my puppets are my family. Without them, I wouldn’t be the person I am today._ **

 

**_“What would happen if someone happen to take them away from you?” you ask._ **

 

**_Well, this is the tale as to that particular scenario. While that was pretty important as it was, it was the motivation that was what made me change my mind._ **

 

**_And, let me tell you, the story behind the motivation is one that even I didn’t see coming._ **

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

**2nd Curiosity**

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

**Karakuri Circus**

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

_ The last thing the girl remembers is her big brother screaming her name before everything went black. _

 

_ Her eyes shoot open and she sits up, hand over her heart. The girl takes a deep breath as she looks at her surroundings. She is in a hospital room, with its pristine white walls and white bedsheets that hurt her eyes as if she is staring at the sun. _

 

_ “Serenity!” _

 

_ Serenity suddenly finds herself wrapped in the arms of her mother. She can feel the older woman’s tears soaking her hospital gown and those gentle hands pat her head. _

 

_ “I almost lost you,” Serenity’s mother hiccups. “Oh Serenity….” _

 

_ Serenity returns the hug as an important question appears in her mind. _

 

_ “Mom, where is he?” Serenity asks her mother. “Where’s big brother?” _

 

_ “Big brother…” Her mother begins, bottom lip trembling. “He’s...he’s waiting outside.” _

 

_ As she says this, the door to the room opens, and Serenity gasps at who she sees. _

 

_ “Big brother…” she whispers, tears in her eyes. _

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

_ “The art of a puppeteer is to bring life into lifeless dolls. Under the puppeteer’s master control, the puppets leap, dance and sing about, bringing joy into people’s lives. _

 

_ “Whatever the puppeteer commands, the puppet shall obey. It is what they are made for; they will not object a direct order from their master. No matter the command, the puppet follows. _

 

_ “However, what most people don’t know is that a puppet is capable of coming to life  _ without _ its master’s command if it relates to unfinished business between the two. They will not stop until their order is finished, and the puppet's reward for this loyalty is to have their soul reborn into another vessel, perhaps a human one or a newer version of their older puppet body, so they can have another chance in being with their beloved master. _

 

_ “This tale is no exception. _

 

_ “Once in the faraway kingdom of Mateel, there lived a magnificent puppeteer who could make a crowd smile from ear to ear through the use of his three puppets. The puppets were so life-like in the way they moved, the way they talked, the way they could evoke so many emotions with their eyes. _

 

_ “The puppeteer loved these puppets as if they were his family. He wouldn’t trade them for the world. He would rather  _ die _ than be separated from them. _

 

_ “Alas, that turned out to be his fate. _

 

_ “For you see, my dear listeners, the princess of the kingdom had fallen in love with the puppeteer. She wanted him to be her prince forever after, but the puppeteer refused. His life was with his puppets, not in a castle playing dress-up for a haughty, spoiled brat like her. _

 

_ “But the princess was always known to get her way, and if she couldn’t get her way then she’d make sure  _ he _ wouldn’t either. _

 

_ “In the dead of night, the princess hired a mercenary to kidnap the puppeteer and his puppets and lock them in the dungeon. There, the princess gave him an ultimatum: at sunrise, he could either accept her hand in marriage or face execution. _

 

_ “The puppeteer asked the princess to give him the entire night to think it over. The princess agreed, stating that it would be her only act of mercy on him. _

 

_ “When she left, the puppeteer went to his puppets and hugged them tight. Tears fell down his face as he said his good-byes. _

 

_ “‘I wanted to live the rest of my days with you, my precious family,’ he told them, patting their heads like he always did before going to bed. ‘This is only a good-bye for now. Maybe, one day, we will see each other again. Please, wait for me until then.’ _

 

_ “When sunrise came, the princess asked the puppeteer for his decision. The puppeteer calmly replied that he would rather die than marry her. The princess, enraged with his answer, dragged the puppeteer to the executioner’s room, commanding her servants to carry the puppets with them. ‘I am not  _ that _ heartless,’ she boasted. ‘I will at least give you the time to say your farewells before I turn them into firewood!’ _

 

_ “The puppeteer had his hands tied behind his back and his head pressed down upon a tree stump. With a smile on his face, he looked at his puppets one last time. _

 

_ “‘Farewell,’ he said. ‘We will be together once more.’ _

 

_ “And then, off went his head.” _

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

Trip Deckard takes the time to pause as he stares into the eyes at the children who are looking in horror at the kind puppeteer having his head cut off. This, and the rest of the scenes he has narrated for the prologue, is presented through a white sheet and a bright light where shadows play out an executioner with a sharp axe chopping off the puppeteer’s head. 

 

Through the eyeholes of his mask, Trip, aka ‘The Curious’, watches the children sniffle and cry for the sweet, innocent puppeteer, knowing that his words have touched their imaginations just as Yvonne’s skills in puppetry will help bring the tale to life.

 

And on a fine day such as this at the Wonderland Marionette Theatre in Bandersnatch Park, where the Youth Master Duelist Brigade -- YMD for short, named after the founders of the group, Yvonne, May and Dawn -- are hosting a puppet show in order to raise funds to help open the You Show Duel School, it feels like nothing crazy or absurd could happen.

 

However, as Trip feels the wind stir, he can sense that something strange and sinister is about to occur. Deep within his bones, a story is about to be told. 

 

A little girl in the front raises her hand. “That can’t be the end of the story, can it? What about the puppets?”

 

From beneath his stone-like mask, Trip smiles. He is amazed that no one makes comments on how off or uncanny his mask is (as every member of his family who has taken the role as ‘The Curious’ sports a different mask to differentiate themselves like a set of fingerprints). “Ah yes, the puppets. I almost forgot about those little ones. Well…” He clears his throat.

 

_ “The princess gloated at her victory. The puppeteer was no more, and soon his puppets would become nothing more than firewood that would warm her feet. This is the punishment for those who dare to say ‘no’ to her. _

 

_ “‘Guards!’ she commanded. ‘Take those disgusting things away! I want them to burn!’ _

 

_ “But just as the guards were about to take the puppets into their hands, the puppets...began to move. _

 

_ “It was slow at first. Just a twitch of a finger, or a foot. Then, their heads snapped to the side, their eyes fluttered open, and soon, they were slowly standing up, staring at their surroundings while everyone looked at them in surprise and horror. _

 

_ “‘W...what?!’ The princess screamed. ‘How are you moving? Your master lays dead at my feet! Who is pulling your strings?!’ _

 

_ “One of the puppets tilted their heads at the princess before answering with this: _

 

_ “‘No one pulls our strings. We move on our own accord.’ _

 

_ “The princess was too shocked for words. But then, she swiftly told her guards to destroy the puppets. The guards, bless their hearts, did their best… _

 

_ “And seconds later, the puppets had swiftly killed them, leaving the princess alone. _

 

_ “‘No, you are nothing more than playthings!’ She screamed, brandishing the executioner’s axe that killed their master. ‘Stay away from me! Stay away --’ _

 

_ “Seconds later, she too, was dead. _

 

_ “The puppets then approached their dead master, trying to wake him up as best as they could. They tried attaching his head back to his body, just like they had seen him do it to them in his shows. But he did not stir. They shook him awake, but still nothing. _

 

_ “‘Master is...gone?’ asked one of the puppets.  _

 

_ “‘No,’ said the second one. ‘He is on a trip somewhere. And we have to find him. That’s why we’re alive.’ _

 

_ “‘But where could he have gone?’ said the third one.  _

 

_ “The puppets thought hard about this, but in the end they could not think of an answer. _

 

_ “‘He said that we will be together again,’ the first puppet remembered. ‘We shall go out and search for him so we will be reunited.’ _

 

_ “The others nodded their heads and left the dungeon, covering their bodies in cloaks so people did not stare at their strange wooden appearance. Underneath dawn’s early light, they begin to leave the kingdom that was considered their only home, preparing themselves for the long journey ahead. _

 

_ “On their way out of the kingdom, the three bumped into a small girl selling flowers. The girl, who never missed any of the puppeteer’s shows and thus knew who these 'people’ were, looked in confusion. _

 

_ “‘Where are you going?’ she asked them. _

 

_ “‘We are on a journey,’ one puppet answered. ‘To find our master.’ _

 

_ “‘Where did he go?’  _

 

_ “‘We do not know,’ the second puppet said honestly. ‘That’s why we are off to find them.’ _

 

_ “‘Will you come back to the kingdom when you find him?’ _

 

_ “‘We will,’ said the third puppet. ‘But now, we must wander. Over the hills, across the rivers, into the wide world. And we will not rest until we reunite with our master.’ _

 

_ “‘Be safe,’ said the little girl, and she handed each of them a pale yellow rose. ‘For good luck.’ _

 

_ “The puppets nodded their heads then walked off, onto their long, perilous journey, and into the unknown. And it is said that the puppets travel, to this day, searching for their beloved master, performing the stories that have been engraved in their memories to the masses, fulfilling their master’s wish to make people smile. _

 

_ “Until the day comes when they are in their master’s loving arms once more, they shall wander. Until they see their master’s face, every night they shall dream of the days that he showered them with all of his love and praise. _

 

_ “And perhaps, they are coming to you right now, with wide smiles on their faces and a myriad of stories they want you to hear…” _

 

As Trip finishes his narration, he begins to whistle a haunting melody. A gentle breeze picks up, carrying the tune to the audience, whose eyes are now fully glued to the stage and the show that is about to begin.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“Okay,” says Dawn, peeking from behind the curtain. “Trip has just finished the prologue. Now we can start preparing for the first act!”

 

“Finally,” Max says, placing some paper cut-outs taped to sticks into a box. “How does Yvonne do all of this by herself?”

 

“We should ask her after this is over,” says Brendan, turning off the large flashlight by his side. “Now, where is she?”

 

“Guys, we’ve got bad news!”

 

This comes from May, wearing a bright pink and white ruffled dress that is highly unusual for the vampire princess. In her hands is a matching pink and white lacy parasol.

 

“What’s going on?” asks Dawn. “Where’s Yvonne? Where are the puppets?”

 

“Yvonne’s panicking,” May answers, out of breath. “Her puppets have gone missing!”

 

“What?” Max whispers. 

 

“That’s impossible!” says Brendan. “There’s no way those four could wander off so easily. They’re like chicks following their mother and they  _ know  _ how important this play is.”

 

“That’s what I thought too,” says Yvonne, dressed in a puppeteer outfit consisting of a long charcoal colored coat, a slate long-sleeved blouse, ebony breeches and matching leather boots. Topping her head is a snow white top hat with three black vertical stripes and covering her hands are leather gloves the color of dried blood. Her eyes are covered with a black eye mask with gold rings to make them look like they’re glowing, thin lines of black, grey and gold face paint trickle down her cheeks like tears and her lips are covered in black lipstick, making her resemble a deadly puppeteer who wishes to enact vengeance from beyond the grave. “I stepped out of the changing room and saw my puppets had vanished. Then, Specter handed me this.”

 

She shows the items in her hand: a White Magical Hat Duel Monsters card and a business card that depicts a black and white circus tent with red ribbon and gold strings.

 

“What is this?” asks May, taking the second card and flipping it back and forth.

 

“That’s what we’ve tried to decipher,” says Specter, approaching the group alongside Ryoken. “Well, as soon as Yvonne stops panicking.”

 

“I’m not panicking!” Yvonne exclaims, grabbing Specter’s shoulders and shaking him. “I’m absolutely  _ not  _ panicking! My puppets can’t be gone, they’re just...they’re probably playing hide-and-seek...yeah, that’s it.”

 

“If they are, it’s a really mean-spirited one,” Takeru notes, poking his head from behind the portable changing room. 

 

“Maybe they decided to play with Tango because you took your sweet time getting dressed,” Yusaku suggests, reading through the script. 

 

“They were  _ guarding _ me while I was getting dressed!” Yvonne screams, pushing Specter to the side. She advances towards Yusaku, only stopped by Max and Brendan blocking her path.

 

“Whatever happened to those four, we have to do something, and  _ fast _ ,” says May, taking a look at Trip answering questions given to him from the audience. From behind the curtain, various members of the YMD Brigade clothed in black are swiftly moving props into place. “I don’t know how long Trip can keep our audience distracted.”

 

Yvonne flings a glowing string from her finger towards the card in May’s hand. She then yanks the card back into her hand, the image of the circus tent transforming into fancy black calligraphy with borders of playing card suits outlined in silver.

 

“What the?” Yvonne asks, taking a good look at the card. “It’s...an invitation.”

 

“To where?” asks Brendan.

 

“Toadstool Outdoor Theatre,” Yvonne answers. “But that’s impossible; there are no shows playing there right now.”

 

“Maybe not right now, but perhaps it’ll start when you arrive?” Max suggests, looking at the wording, trying to find a secret message encoded in it.

 

“Who knows?” says Yvonne, pocketing the card before removing her top hat. She sticks her hand into it, pulls out her Duel Disk then straps it onto her arm before placing her hat back on. “But whatever is out there, if I want to get my beloved puppets back then I’m gonna need to face this madman and show him that  _ no one  _ makes a fool out of Grand Lorde Guignol.”

 

“Then it’s settled,” says May with a nod of her head. “Brendan and Max will go with Yvonne to find the puppets while Dawn and I take care of the show.”

 

“But where are we going to find replacement actors at this moment?” asks Max. “No one else knows the script like Yvonne does! And she’s the main antagonist of this tale.”

 

“We could just have someone dress up in black to imitate her until we return,” Brendan suggests. “All that’s left is who will be our main character…”

 

“Ryoken-san can take the role!” says Dawn, pointing at a flustered Ryoken. “He and nii-chan roleplay as the reincarnated puppeteer while I practiced my lines. He can be our ‘reincarnated puppeteer’ for today!”

 

“W...wait a second! I didn’t sign up for this!” he exclaims, all while Brendan and Max chuckle to themselves. It is rare for Ryoken to be placed in situations such as these.

 

“Come on, come on, come on!” says Dawn, taking him to the changing room. She grabs Takeru’s arm and practically hurls him into Specter’s arms before pushing Ryoken inside. “Just a change in wardrobe and you’re good to go. I mean, you already got that K-pop look on you!”

 

Dawn tosses Ryoken some clothes then zips the changing room shut all while giving her friends a thumbs up.

 

“That’s good and all, but we still need the three puppets,” Yvonne notes. Then, her eyes light up as she stares at Yusaku, Takeru and Specter, her black lips cracked into a sinister grin. “Three puppets…”

 

It is at this moment that May wishes she has a camera to see the looks on Specter, Takeru and Yusaku’s faces as it  _ dawns  _ on them just what Yvonne plans on doing.

 

“Oh no,” says Takeru, taking a step back. “We...we said we would help out in make-up and costumes. We aren’t actors!”

 

“No, you’re not,” Yvonne smirks as glowing blue strings coil around her arms. “For this afternoon, you’re  _ puppets _ !”

 

She thrust her hands out as the blue strings wrap around the three, quickly cocooning them before they can even utter, “Grand Guignol”. Yvonne takes a deep breath, eyes glowing blue beneath her mask as she raises her hands into the air and chants.

 

_ “Though I know I should be wary, _

_ Still I conjure something scary, _

_ Magic powers I let loose, _

_ And a trio of puppets I shall produce!” _

 

The glowing blue threads flash once, twice, three times before they are absorbed into the bodies of their victims. Yvonne’s smile grows big as the light fades and in the place of Takeru, Specter and Yusaku are wooden puppets in their likeness, eyes wide with mischief and not a single blemish on their skin. Their joints are wooden balls and each of them are dressed in bright and colorful costumes that practically scream “puppetesque”. Finally, faint blue lines are wrapped around their arms, completing the puppet look.

 

“...Where did you learn how to do that?” asks Brendan both fascinated and terrified at Yvonne’s handiwork.

 

“Found an old book of puppetry at the library a while back,” Yvonne answers. “I’ve always wanted to use it and now’s a good time as ever.”

 

“That’s so cool…” Max whispers, poking Takeru’s arm before giggling. “It’s like something from  _ The Uncle Howee Show _ !”

 

“Exactly! All right then,” says Yvonne, clasping her hands as she gives the newly fashioned ‘puppets’ some pats on the head. “Your roles for today is to act as the puppets for the show. Trip is gonna be narrating the story so he’ll help you with your cues. Other than that, break some legs everyone!”

 

“I am going to kill you for this,” Spectre mutters, noticing his new attire, frowning at the green and violet hues of his outfit. Takeru has placed his hands over his mouth in horror after seeing his white and red jester costume while Yusaku just blinks and stares at the backs of his hands before looking at his black and yellow diamond pants and white blouse with a lavender ruffled collar.

 

“That’s exactly what I want to hear!” Yvonne squeals, wrapping the three in a big hug. “And I can’t wait for uploads of the show to be posted on the You Show Duel website!”

 

“While I’m amazed at you able to transform people into puppets, is this...going to be permanent?” asks May, noticing Takeru on the verge of tears.

 

“It should last until sunset,” says Yvonne. “I’ve practice this spell with some stray cats and birds that passed my way, and it’s lasted a few hours or so.”

 

“Next you’re gonna say that you dissect innocent puppies once in a blue moon,” Brendan mutters.

 

“Of course I don’t, that’s absolutely absurd!” Yvonne exclaims. “I practiced my puppetry on a few plushies, but I draw the line in reviving animal corpses. Ever seen  _ Pet Sematary _ ?”

 

“...Yes.”

 

“Exactly. Now, let’s get going. We need to meet up with this great thief in about ten minutes according to the invitation.”

 

“All right!” Max exclaims, pumping his fists. “We’re gonna be detectives!”

 

“Call us if anything happens,” says Yvonne to Dawn, just as Ryoken has stepped out of the changing booth, now wearing a grey blouse, olive green vest, black tie, black pants and tattered black cloak. “After all, the show must go on!”

 

“In position, everyone,” says May, noticing Trip making a motion of closing a book in his hands. “Trip just gave the signal. It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights!”

 

“It’s time to get things started for a show of great delight,” Yvonne finishes as she pulls out her trusty switchblade from the pocket of her coat. 

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

The curtain rises as Trip takes a glance at the stage. Instead of one of Yvonne’s puppets, the role of the ‘resurrected puppeteer’ is taken by Ryoken, who is sitting in a chair and reading a book called  _ The Cursed Puppets _ (which conveniently has the entire script within its covers). 

 

Raising an eyebrow but not making any comment on the change of actors, Trip begins to narrate once again.

 

_ “Sitting in the living room is our protagonist. Let us call him ‘Blake’ for this telling,”  _ he recites, his voice soft, breathy and dream-like as if this situation is like him reading the news bulletin at school.  _ “The story that I have told you happens to be Blake’s favorite bedtime story, told time and time again by his mother -- bless her dear soul -- before she departed to the afterlife a few years ago. For some odd reason, Blake always felt pity for these puppets and hoped that somehow they would reunite with their beloved master. _

 

_ “Little did he know that it was going to happen very very soon.” _

 

“Blake! Where are you?”

 

Dawn’s voice causes Ryoken to snap the book shut as she appears on stage, wearing a pink dress with a white collar, her hair tied up into a ponytail. Ryoken shares a quick glance with her, noticing how she’s exposing the stitches on her wrists, but says nothing else until Dawn places her hands on his shoulders.

 

“There you are, big brother!” she says. “Aren’t you excited for tonight’s show?”

 

“I don’t understand why I’m even attending this with you...Fiona,” Ryoken mutters, almost forgetting the name for Dawn’s character. “I’m too old for puppet shows.”

 

“But this isn’t just  _ any _ puppet show,” Dawn says with a giggle. “The actors  _ themselves _ are the puppets! They perform so many amazing feats without any special effects and their stories can make even a statue shed a tear! Besides, you used to love puppet shows when you were younger.”

 

“When I was younger…”

 

“Come on,” Dawn pleads. “Just one night. Please? For me?”

 

_ “No matter what Blake did, he could never resist how his sister showed off her sparkling blue eyes.” _

 

“Fine, fine,” Ryoken sighs, standing up. “Only for you.”

 

“Hooray! Let’s hurry! The show’s gonna start soon!”

 

The lights turn off as Dawn and Ryoken leave the stage, and the group of  _ kuroko _ move the furniture off to the side, leaving the stage empty once more. The two actors approach the front of the audience, taking their seats as the lights shine on a large banner on stage reading,  _ “Mourguet Puppet Show of Mysteries, Magic and Mayhem”.  _ Trip chuckles as he knows what is to come.

 

“The show is starting!” Dawn cheers, tugging on Ryoken’s arm, imagining that she is actually about to see a real show with her brother by her side. Ryoken just rolls his eyes as a drumroll is heard in the background. Then, a voice booms throughout the theater.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen!” it echoes, causing the children to gasp and whisper in excitement. “Boys and girls of all ages, thank you for coming to our show! So, please put your hands together for your performers!”

 

Smoke fills the theater before a spotlight shines upon three individuals. Dawn smiles at her older brother in the center of the stage while the expression on Ryoken’s face is a blend of “This is interesting” and “Oh my gosh, what did Yvonne  _ do to them _ ?!”

 

The children cheer at the puppets in their costumes, all while the puppets do their best to not try to strangle someone for the mess they have gotten themselves into.

 

“Welcome to our show, everyone!” Takeru cheers. “We hope you’re ready!”

 

“What show do we do first?” asks Yusaku, feeling like his body is on auto-pilot as it goes through the motions from Yvonne’s script. That’s right. Before Yvonne, Brendan and Max left, Yvonne basically imprinted the script into his head, along with Takeru and Specter’s. 

 

“Before we do a show, we must figure out what roles we have to play!” Specter shouts, feeling a tic form underneath his eye as he thinks about how he’s going to have fun torturing Yvonne after this is done.

 

“I know!” says Takeru, hopping on one foot. “Why don’t we play the role as traveling puppets in search of our master?”

 

“Great idea!” Yusaku adds. “Except, there’s one problem. If we are playing puppets, we need a puppet master.”

 

“That’s easy then!” says Specter, snapping his fingers. “Maybe we’ll have someone from the audience be our puppeteer. So? Who would like to help us perform today?”

 

Various members of the audience, including Dawn, immediately shoot a hand in the air, clamoring for one of the puppets to bring them on stage. Trip chuckles at how awkward it is for members of the Kougami family to be performing. He can also hear the other members of the YMD Brigade giggling to themselves as Specter, Takeru and Yusaku pretend to look for someone to take the stage.

 

When Trip returns his eyes back to the audience, he pauses. At the very back, there are three individuals that, for some odd reason, look...off.

 

Of course, it would be easier if he can remove his mask to have a better look, but he cannot. A downside to his role as ‘The Curious’ means that once he places the mask on, he is bound to his role as the narrator until the story reaches its end. Horror stories of previous members of his family not abiding with this role has been drilled into his head, to the point that he can sometimes envision the facial scars that his ancestors obtained when they did not fulfill their roles.

 

Still, he makes a mental note to take a better look at them once Intermission starts. At the very least, he’d like to know their names.

 

“Come on, Blake!” says Dawn, lifting Ryoken out of his seat and dragging him onto the stage. “You’re an expert puppeteer. Why don’t you go and join them?”

 

“W...wait!” Ryoken stammers, forgetting just how strong Dawn can be with her augmented strength. “No one told me about this!”

 

The children laugh at how flustered the white-haired teen looks; even Trip can’t help but snicker as Ryoken is pushed onto the stage in front of the puppets. There is an awkward pause as Ryoken looks at Takeru, Specter and Yusaku as puppets and wondering how much it would cost to slice Yvonne’s hands off for what she caused.

 

_ “As the puppets stared at Blake, a thought came into their minds,”  _ Trip narrates.  _ “Blake was a dead ringer for their beloved master! _

 

_ “But did he have the skills of the brilliant puppeteer? Did Blake remember their names? Or how he could use those strings to move them about? They had to find out; they needed to know if he truly was their master reborn.” _

 

“So,” says Takeru, inspecting Ryoken up and down. “Dear sir, do you have any skill with puppetry?”

 

“Um, a little,” Ryoken answers. “So, what do I have to do?”

 

“It’s simple,” says Yusaku, extending his arm out. “Just follow our lead. We’ll guide you through our routines.”

 

_ “When Blake looked down at the puppet's arms, he noticed that there were strings attached to them. In fact, there were similar strings on the other puppets too. _

 

_ “Perhaps it was just part of their costumes? After all, this seemed to be a human puppet show, so of course the performers would go the extra mile to convince the audience that they are actually puppets instead of humans who dress up like puppets. _

 

_ “Seeing that he has no choice in the matter, Blake sighed, let the strings curl around his fingers and the show to begin.” _

 

Ryoken watches the strange blue threads tie themselves to his fingers before he is lurched onto the side. Dawn crosses her fingers; Yvonne is the only one who is capable of manipulating these strings, and she didn't have enough time to mentally describe the motions Ryoken must perform alongside these puppets.

 

Yet despite her doubts, Dawn sighs in relief as Ryoken easily maneuvers and glides around the stage as if he has been a puppeteer all his life. Yusaku, Takeru and Specter move and leap about the stage as if they have trained for this very moment, captivating the audience even though they have no idea that the actors were casted at the last minute.

 

And after a few minutes of pretending that he is a puppeteer, Ryoken sighs in relief when the blue strings release themselves from his fingers. He never knew that puppeteer work could be so difficult.

 

“Thank you for your cooperation,” says Yusaku, shaking Ryoken's hand. “Please give him a round of applause!”

 

The audience cheers as Ryoken and Dawn leave the stage and the curtains begin to descend, the puppets on stage smiling to one another as they observe the ‘siblings’ depart for the evening.

 

_ “At that moment,”  _ says Trip, bringing the audience to turn their wide-eyed gaze towards him. _ “The three puppets were thinking the same thing. _

 

_ “They had reunited with their master at long last.” _

 

And as the audience gasps in surprise, the three figures Trip took notice of earlier say nothing.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“Look, there it is!”

 

Max points to the Toadstool Outdoor Theater that is right in front of them. It is a large amphitheatre, its entrance decorated with clay mushrooms colored red with pretty white spots that look tempting to eat. There is no one in the audience…

 

Yet Max, Brendan and Yvonne can plainly see that the theater is decorated as if a circus suddenly dropped out of the sky, its decorations strewn about and tilted at an angle. There is a tightrope, a circular platform, numerous spotlights shining on the stage, and the sounds of haunting calliope music fills the air.

 

“I'll be completely honest here,” says Brendan. “But whoever wanted to lure you in is not going to half-ass this production, Yvonne.”

 

“Whoever did this is gonna find out that I'm not gonna half-ass how I killed them!” Yvonne snarls, brandishing her knife, gripping into the handle with the design of a black spider on a grey background. “Let's go.”

 

At the entrance to the theater, a young boy wielding a scythe with its blade curved like a heart stands guard. He wears a puppet outfit colored red, black and white and he wears a white eye mask with a large red heart in the center. But even without the clothes and mask, Yvonne would recognize the puppet’s red and green hair from a mile away.

 

“Yuya!” she exclaims, noticing the blank look in her puppet’s crimson eyes. “W...what happened to you? What’s going -- “ 

 

“Hurry, hurry!” Puppet Yuya shouts, taking no heed to Yvonne's concern. In fact, when he sees Yvonne, he just brings his hand out and says, “Ticket, please.”

 

Yvonne stays silent, unsure whether to feel upset, horrified or just plain furious. She wordlessly hands the White Magical Hat card and invitation to Puppet Yuya who tilts his head at the cards then at Yvonne.

 

“Say, Yuya,” says Max. “Don't you remember us?”

 

Puppet Yuya doesn't reply before he leads Max Brendan and Yvonne into the theater. There is no one seated at the audience, even though it is painfully clear that the stage is ready to host a show. The next few seconds has them walk to the front row seats with Puppet Yuya ushering the three to sit in the center.

 

“I don't like the looks of this,” Brendan mutters as he seats himself down.

 

Yvonne places a hand on Puppet Yuya's shoulder and blinks. She can see faint gold lines wrapped around his arms, legs and neck.

 

“What the…”

 

Puppet Yuya snaps his head and pushes Yvonne into her seat. Before the puppeteer can speak up, Puppet Yuya points the tip of his scythe at her throat.

 

“Please enjoy the show!” He says cheerfully, heavily contrasting how he has his big sister figure about to have her head chopped off.

 

He then walks towards the stage as a drum roll plays. Yvonne grits her teeth as the spotlights focus on the center.

 

On stage is an adorable Fluffal Lion, opening his mouth to unleash a mighty roar to assert himself as the king of the jungle. It prowls around the stage, waiting for someone to fight.

 

“I am not liking this,” Yvonne mutters, hand gripping into the switchblade so tight that her knuckles turn white underneath her gloves. “What have they done to…”

 

“Back, back I say!” Puppet Yuri shouts, approaching the stage with a buckler in one hand and his trusty urumi in another. He wears a purple and magenta colored outfit, and he wears a similar eye mask like his brother, only with a club instead of a heart as the mark.  “Back!”

 

Fluffal Lion whacks the seven whip-like blades of the urumi before he leaps. He performs a somersault as he transforms into a savage white bipedal lion bisected vertically with a yellow sawblade in-between. It lunges at Puppet Yuri, who proceeds to strike again and again at this wretched beast.

 

“Get away! Shoo!”

 

Puppet Yuto and Puppet Yugo are thrown on stage -- the former fighting a Frightfur Wolf while dressed in grey and lavender, a mask with a spade covering his eyes, and the latter using his scythe to prevent himself from being eaten by a Frightfur Saber-Tooth, his eyes covered with a mask that has a red diamond in the center. Puppet Yuya giggles, but no one in the audience finds it funny.

 

“If this was something Yvonne threw together, I'd be amazed,” Max brings up. “But as it stands…”

 

The Frightfur monsters knock their opponents down before they jump into the air and collide with one another. They are covered by a large cloud of smoke before it descends with a loud thud. Instead of three individual monsters, there is now a Frightfur Chimera ready to destroy anything in its path.

 

“Are you enjoying the show?” Puppet Yuya asks the crowd. But when he speaks his voice is deeper, sinister, downright sadistic in its tone. Yvonne clenches her teeth, seeing a golden glow around Puppet Yuya's eyes. 

 

That does it. She doesn't want to see anymore of this show.

 

The puppets on stage rise to their feet as they each stare at one of three heads of this behemoth. Frightfur Chimera roars and lunges at their prey. Puppet Yuto unleashes a few thrusts with his spear, Puppet Yugo swipes at his target with his scythe and Puppet Yuri shields himself with his buckler before leaving scratches on the face of his enemy.

 

“Do not worry folks,” Puppet Yuya announces. “As you can perfectly see, our performers are trained professionals! No harm will be done onto…”

 

He never gets to finish as blue strings are fired at Frightfur Chimera. The puppets watch as the monster is cocooned in soft blue light. This comes from Yvonne walking to the stage, eyes glowing blue beneath her black mask, her wrists covered in blue threads.

 

“You are going  _ down _ ,” Yvonne spits out.

 

The Chimera roars and throws its heads back, but Yvonne is on the move. Using the momentum, she leaps into the sky and uses the knife in her hand to cut the threads on her left wrist free. Using both hands, she flings another blue thread into a spotlight to swing her away towards the three headed monstrosity before leaping onto its head in the middle. 

 

Most girls her age would have been terrified, frightened, screaming in panic. 

 

But when Yvonne is in Grand Lorde Guignol mode, all of her fear is channeled into focus. And the focus right now is to destroy this son of a bitch before it mauled her puppets. 

 

The middle head of the chimera bucks and thrashes about, but Guignol is firm as she stabs her knife deep into its cranium, once, twice, three times, all while spewing a particular nasty phrase in French which, thankfully, her puppets are brainwashed so they would never get to understand what it meant.

 

_ “Va te faire foutre!”  _ Yvonne curses, stabbing the head one last time before she is thrown off, sent flying into the air as she brings her hands downward, her strings unfurling until they gather into a large orb that blooms like a large flower. The blue strings formation catches their master with a soft “oomph” before shrinking into threads that wrap around her wrists.

 

The chimera collapses onto its side after unleashing one more roar as the puppets stand back. The theater shakes slightly as Yvonne rises to her feet, knife in hand as she sees the glowing gold bands around her four puppets. Brendan and Max gulp, expecting a demon to rise from Yvonne’s shadow with blackened wings and crimson eyes ready to devour their very souls.

 

“That’s it,” Yvonne snarls. “It’s time for Grand Lorde Guignol to take the stage. Show yourself right now, you coward! WHERE ARE YOU?!”

 

“I’m glad you never asked.”

 

Yvonne turns to the side, just as a male figure walks on stage, at least a head and a half taller than the puppeteer herself, wearing an outfit similar to hers. A long black cloak and grey shirt, black pants, and equally matching black gloves. His blond hair shines as bright as the gold strings that wrap around the puppets, his brown eyes also unleashing a bright gold sheen. Strapped to his right arm is a Duel Disk styled after a gear.

 

“I’ve heard many things about you, Yvonne Maxa,” The man begins, his voice rich like honey and milk. “No, I shouldn’t be calling you that...should I,  _ Grand Lorde Guignol _ ?”

 

At this, Yvonne closes her eyes and sighs. No, she is not Yvonne right now...she is Grand Lorde Guignol, the brilliant marionette master...and that son of a whore is going to pay.

 

Guignol turns around and points her knife at the stranger. “You heard a lot, but have you actually  _ seen  _ me in action? Let me tell you, what you saw me perform is  _ small _ to the feats I’ve accomplished.”

 

The man chuckles as he claps his hands, and so do Guignol’s puppets. “Oh yes, yes, yes...that’s why I brought you here to me today. I want to see what you are capable of when you have to unleash your full potential.”

 

Guignol clicks her teeth. “And you had to put my puppets in danger? Take them away when I had an important show going on today?”

 

The man smirks, lips curled into a sinister grin that wouldn’t be out of place on Guignol’s face. “How else was I going to get your attention?”

 

Guignol curls her hands into a fist as she activates her Duel Disk. “So you got me here, fine. What do you want next? My autograph? In case you didn’t notice, I have a show to perform and I need my loves with me.”

 

“Oh sure,” says the rival puppeteer. “But, I can’t let you go...not just yet.”

 

Guignol looks around as her Puppets approach her, eyes empty as they point their weapons, ready to strike. This is bad. She has never actually fought against her puppets before and even if she has, it was just for practice.

 

“Oh, what’s wrong?” The man purrs, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t have the  _ heart _ to attack them?”

 

Guignol grits her teeth as she notices the glowing golden strings. This is a color that she has never seen before -- well, to be fair, she’s the only one in Carroll City that she knows who can manifest these strings -- and something about them makes her feel uncomfortable. She has never read any legend of a puppeteer using gold colors to distinguish themselves before.

 

“She may not, but we will!”

 

The puppeteer watches Brendan and Max rise from their seats, raising an eyebrow but looking interested at what is to be seen.

 

“Those puppets are important to her!” Max states, briefly flashing his fangs. “If you want her so badly, go after her one on one!”

 

“We’ll take care of them,” says Brendan. “Kick this guy’s ass for us, Guignol!”

 

“If you hurt one hair on their heads I will cut you into tiny pieces, stuff them into your casket and then dump your remains into the Vale of Tears,” Guignol threatens with a nod of her head.

 

“Go after them,” The male puppeteer commands the puppets, pointing at Brendan and Max. “I want to fight this man-to-man.”

 

The Puppets nod their heads as they leap off of the stage and charge into battle. Brendan and Max leap into battle, black vampire wings forming on their backs and their eyes glowing crimson as they fight. As this goes on, Guignol pockets her knife before drawing her cards.

 

“So, stranger,” she says. “Got a name?”

 

“I do,” is the answer. “My full name is Joseph Wheeler, but you can call me ‘Joey’ as a sign of how much I respect you.”

 

“How nice,” Guignol observes. “But enough talk, jerk! Have at thee!”

 

“By the pricking of the thumbs, something wicked this way comes!” Joey shouts, raising his voice to the sky. “Let's duel!”

 

**(Guignol: 8000) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Joey: 8000)**

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“That was amazing! I  _ knew _ you had it in you, Blake!”

 

_ “Blake rolled his eyes as Fiona kept babbling on and on and  _ on _ about the show, arms moving about in undulating motions that mimicked the movement of puppets when they perform on stage. Deep down, he was trying to make sense as to what happened. How did he instinctively know what to do in regards to moving the marionettes around? Why did all of this feel so familiar? _

 

_ “Being a person of logic, Blake tried to formulate theories in his head -- “ _

 

“What does that mean?” A child interrupts, raising their hand into the air.

 

Trip just rolls his eyes. “It means that Blake was thinking really hard. Now please, let there be no more questions until the Intermission, okay?”

 

The child nods their head before Trip looks back at his notes. 

 

_ “Being a person of logic, Blake tried to formulate theories in his head as to why puppeteer work came so naturally to him, as if he was born and raised into becoming a puppeteer all his life. Sure he remembered how he hosted puppet shows as a boy, but that was a lifetime ago, when he was young, innocent and believed in his mother's words about moving puppets. _

 

_ “So, why were they alive  _ now _? And, why did he feel like he knew them somewhere before? _

 

_ “His thoughts were interrupted by someone knocking at the door. Fiona went to open it and then…” _

 

“Ahhhhh!”

 

Dawn shouts upon seeing the puppets on the other side. She then races towards Ryoken and shakes him.

 

“Blake, look outside!” she exclaims. “It's the puppets from the show!”

 

Ryoken sits up from the sofa and approaches the door, seeing the three puppets on the other side with bright smiles on their faces (although he can tell that none of them want to be on stage at the moment)

 

“You!” he asks. “What are you doing here?”

 

“We wanted to stay with you, Master,” Specter answers, all while Dawn resists the urge to laugh.

 

“M...master?” Ryoken stammers out. “No, you must be mistaken. I’m...I’m not…”

 

“You are!” Takeru exclaims, grasping Ryoken’s hands. “After all these years...Master, we are finally reunited.”

 

“...Reunited?”

 

_ “Blake’s eyes widened. This...this was just like that story of the cursed puppets. But...no, that was just a story. These people can’t be walking, talking puppets. _

 

_ “And even if the story was real, there would be no possible way for these puppets to even be alive.  _

 

_ “But here is proof that these puppets are here, right in front of him.” _

 

“Eh?” asks Dawn, looking back and forth in shock. “You think my brother is your master?”

 

“We don’t think, we  _ know _ ,” says Specter. “The way he used those strings in our performance just proves it.”

 

“Only one person is capable of bringing such magic into that performance,” Yusaku sighs. “Master…”

 

Ryoken frowns, pulling his hands away from Takeru. “First off, my name is Blake. And second of all, I am  _ not _ your master.”

 

“Stop denying it!” says Takeru. “Please, master. Let us stay with you in your humble abode. Tell us your wonderous stories, let us perform to everyone in the town once again…”

 

_ “Blake honestly had no idea what to say,”  _ Trip states, pointing out something so obvious.  _ “But, something told him that it would be wrong to just turn them away. Say that they  _ were _ the puppets who have been on their own for maybe a hundred, maybe two hundred, years. Surely it would be all right to house them for a day...or two. _

 

_ “And besides. What could possibly go wrong?” _

 

Ryoken sighs. “Fine,” he says. “You can stay here.”

 

“Really?” asks Dawn. “You’re letting them stay?”

 

“Under one condition,” says Ryoken, raising a finger at the puppets. “That they don’t call me their ‘Master’.”

 

“But you are our master,” Yusaku states, looking confused (and, in Ryoken and Dawn’s mind absolutely  _ adorable _ with his shiny green eyes and that tilt of his head).

 

Ryoken sighs. This would take a while.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“Ladies first,” says Joey, bowing to his opponent.

 

“You'll regret this act of chivalry,” says Guignol, drawing a card. “I place one card face-down and play a monster face-down, too. That's it.”

 

“That’s an opening move?” Joey asks, seeing the two face-down cards in front of Guignol.  “Well, we’re gonna have ourselves an interesting time then.“

 

“What do you mean by that?” 

 

Joey chuckles as he draws his card. “It’s time for a change a scenery...I play the Field Spell Karakuri Showdown Castle!”

 

The circus setting on the stage soon transforms into the exterior of a Japanese temple at night with a full moon shining down on them. 

 

“Wait,  _ Karakuri _ ?!” asks Guignol. “You’re not playing a Frightfur deck?!”

 

“Why would you think that I would play something like...ohhh….” Joey’s mouth forms a large ‘O’. “You thought that because I showed off those evil Frightfurs, I’d surprise you with a similar deck like that, right?”

 

If it wasn't for the makeup, Guignol's cheeks would have been red from embarrassment. “Um, yeah…”

 

Joey just bursts into mad laughter.

 

“Rule number one in magic, sweetheart,” he says. “It’s all about deception. But this monster won’t be fooling anyone. I summon Tin Goldfish in Defense Mode!”

 

A small little metal fish painted in vibrant colors appears. (2000 DEF)

 

“And when Tin Goldfish is summoned, I get to Special Summon a monster whose Level is 4 or less. So come take the stage Karakuri Muso mdl 818 ‘Haipa’!”

 

Rising onto the field is a machine type monster made out of wood, resembling a monk of some kind, given the red beads around his neck. It has a square head with a single red eye staring at Yvonne. In its hands is a large spear with a head of a cross and on the monster’s ‘skirt’ are three kanji characters that relate to the numbers of its name, ‘818’. (2100 ATK)

 

“That’s a mouthful,” Guignol notes.

 

“Next, I play Iron Draw!” Joey continues. “Since I only have two Machine-type monsters on the field, I get to draw two more cards.”

 

A Spell Card of a large robotic hand reaching out for two glowing cards appears. Then, Joey makes two draws, giving him a hand of four cards.

 

“Now Haipa, destroy that face-down monster!”

 

Haipa charges towards its target, spear ready. The card flips, revealing some strange skeletal serpent with purple segments and equally purple lines controlling it like a marionette. (1000 DEF)

 

“That was Shaddoll Squamata you flipped over,” says Yvonne. “And when it's flipped, I get to destroy a monster on the field!”

 

Shaddoll Squamata hisses before it wraps its body around Haipa, constricting it until the Karakuri monster is destroyed.

 

Joey frowns as he sees that his only defense is Tin Goldfish. “I end my turn there.”

 

“Good choice,” says Guignol, drawing a card. “First, I activate my face-down card, Shaddoll Core!”

 

Her face-down card flips over, revealing a strange glowing grey orb protected by a multitude of dragon heads that seemed to be made out of wood. Then, the image from the card appears in place of the card. (1450 ATK)

 

“When this card is played, it's treated as both a Trap and a monster. Plus, if I should use it for a Fusion Summon for a 'Shaddoll’ monster that lists an attribute, this core acts as a substitute!

 

“So let me show you right now. I play El Shaddoll Fusion and fuse Shaddoll Core and Shaddoll Squamata together!”

 

A Quick-play card appears, depicting a girl with green hair in a ponytail and wearing a black dress uprooting a tree while various monsters look in fear. Then, both Shaddoll monsters swirl together in a mess of black, ivory and purple.

 

_ “Shadow serpent fused with a darkened core. Let the darkness entangle you and create a new body right there and now! Fusion Summon! El Shaddoll Anoyatyllis! _

 

A myriad of purple strings rise from the ground before a female figure emerges with skin and hair the color of snow. She wears a purple dress with long pink sleeves like the fins of a fish. Wrapped around her wrists are a bundle of purple threads. (2700 ATK)

 

“El Shaddoll Anoyatyllis’ special ability should make it easy for me to get your field empty because she prevents Special Summons from the hand or graveyard by Spell and Trap Cards.” Guignol explains, loving the way Joey squirms at what she is planning.

 

“And since Shaddoll Core and Shaddoll Squamata were sent to the graveyard by card effect, I can activate these unique effects. Shaddoll Core allows me to take a ‘Shaddoll’ Spell or Trap card in the graveyard back to my hand and Shaddoll Squamata lets me send a 'Shaddoll’ monster from my deck to my hand. The Spell I choose is El Shaddoll Fusion and the monster I choose to set is Shaddoll Falco, whose graveyard effect allows me to summon it onto the field face-down!”

 

Guignol takes a card into her hand while a face-down monster materializes to the right of Anoyatyllis.

 

“I place one monster face-down before attacking. Go, El Shaddoll Anoyatyllis!”

 

A face-down monster appears to the left of Anoyatyllis before the Fusion monster lets out a battle cry as the strings attached to her strike Tin Goldfish, transforming the little toy into scrap metal.

 

“And I end my turn there,” says Guignol. “Let’s see what’s up for Act 2.”

 

Joey draws his card before he grins, baring his teeth. “First, I play Karakuri Anatomy!”

 

A Spell Card appears, depicting a large scroll with schematics written in red ink.

 

“Whenever the battle position of a ‘Karakuri’ monster is changed, I can place a ‘Karakuri Counter’ on it. Once I have two counters, I can offer this card up to draw two cards.

 

“Next, I play Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 'Ninishi’ in Defense Mode.”

 

Rising onto the field is a wooden geisha dressed in a green kimono decorated with pink cherry blossoms. On her wooden face are three green ‘eyes’. (1900 DEF)

 

“The effect of 'Ninishi’ allows me to summon another 'Karakuri’ monster once per turn. And I choose to summon Karakuri Bushi mdl 6318 ‘Muzanichiha’!”

 

Leaping onto the field next to the geisha is a footsoldier of a karakuri with a dome-like straw hat obscuring its face (if it has one). He brandishes his sword at Yvonne’s monsters, ready to protect the fair beauty with his life. (1800 ATK)

 

“Ninishi is a Tuner and Muzanichiha is the right level for me to Synchro Summon! Let's go!”

 

The two wooden animatronics rise into the air as if wires are attached to their limbs, with Ninishi transforming into three rings and Muzanichiha shrinking into four stars. Guignol doesn’t need to be a genius to know what is to come.

 

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

 

_ “Wooden dolls of a fair geisha and swift swordsman, wind your gears and take my enemy by surprise! Synchro Summon! Level 7! Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 'Burei’!” _

 

The monster drops onto the field, wearing black samurai armor and a helmet with a crescent on top. Draped over its shoulders is a red tattered cape, and he wields a red and gold fan in his right hand. (2600 ATK)

 

“When Burei is Synchro Summoned, I can Special Summon another 'Karakuri’ monster from my deck onto the field. And the monster I choose is Karakuri Ninja mdl 919 'Kuick’!”

 

Burei raises his left hand as  _ another _ Karakuri monster appears. Like its name says, it is styled after a ninja, wearing a lavender robe and wielding two knives in its hands. (1700 ATK)

 

“And once per turn, Burei can change the position of one monster on the field. And I choose to flip your Shaddoll Falco face up!”

 

Burei points his fan at one of Guignol’s face-down cards, revealing the corrupted bird with the purple gems in its wings. (600 ATK)

 

“And by doing so, I can Set a ‘Shaddoll’ monster from my graveyard face-down,” says Guignol, showing Shaddoll Squamata to Joey before placing it face-down.

 

“That won't save you from my attack,” Joey points out. “Kuick, attack her face-down monster that isn't Shaddoll Squamata!”

 

Kuick runs towards the card before hurling his weapon at it. The card flips to reveal a doberman with purple and bone-colored parts. (900 DEF)

 

“That was Shaddoll Hound,” says Guignol. “And when he’s flipped, I can take a ‘Shaddoll’ card from my graveyard to my hand.”

 

Shaddoll Core pops out from her graveyard, which Guignol takes to make a hand of five. Joey doesn’t care though.

 

“When my Karakuri Ninja successfully destroys a monster in battle,” he states. “I can Special Summon a 'Karakuri’ monster in my graveyard whose level is 4 or lower. So I choose to bring back Karakuri Komachi 'Ninishi’!”

 

The wooden geisha in her green kimono appears once again before kneeling on stage. (1900 DEF)

 

“You’re next, Burei. Attack Shaddoll Falco!”

 

Burei raises his fan into the air before bringing it down, unleashing a strong gust of wind that causes Shaddoll Falco to fly off stage.

 

**(Guignol: 6000) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Joey: 8000)**

 

“I end my turn with two cards face-down,” says Joey, his hand reduced to nothing as he plays his last two cards. “Surprise me, Grand Lorde Guignol!”

 

Guignol says nothing as she draws her card. “First, I Flip-Summon Shaddoll Squamata.”

 

The strange serpent appears once again, hissing at the enemy. (1800 ATK)

 

“And when Shaddoll Squamata is flipped face-up, I destroy a monster on the field. And, I’m not trying to be sexist or anything, but I clearly don’t need anymore stage presence from that geisha of yours.”

 

Shaddoll Squamata zips across the field before swallowing Ninishi whole. It then slithers back to Guignol’s side of the field.

 

“Then, I summon Armageddon Knight in Attack Mode.”

 

Rising onto the field is a knight in brown armor covered in rust with black hair. He wears a pair of goggles with white frames and covering his mouth is a long red scarf. In his right hand he wields a saber. (1400 ATK)

 

“Armageddon Knight's effect lets me send a DARK monster from my deck to the graveyard. I send Shaddoll Hedgehog to the grave, so I can activate its effect and take a 'Shaddoll’ monster from my deck to my hand.

 

The image of a black and purple hedgehog appears before Guignol takes a new monster to her hand.

 

“And why stop there? I play El Shaddoll Fusion once more, fusing Shaddoll Squamata and Armageddon Knight to unleash one of my more practical Shaddoll Fusion monsters!”

 

Guignol slaps El Shaddoll Fusion onto her Duel Disk as both DARK monsters are sucked into it. Then, a blast of dark energy forms on the field as Guignol clasps her hands in prayer.

 

_ “Shadow serpent fused with a soul of shifting shadows. Let the darkness entangle you and create a new body right there and now! Fusion Summon! El Shaddoll Winda!” _

 

Landing onto the stage is the same green haired girl with the black dress from the El Shaddoll Fusion card, aided by a strange black and purple dragon with a cat-like face. In the girl’s hands is a staff with a strange purple gem topping it. (2200 ATK)

 

“El Shaddoll Winda's effect! Both of us are limited to one Special Summon per turn. Plus, Winda has more than enough attack points to behead your ninja!”

 

Both Shaddoll Fusions nod their heads, but Joey just stays silent.

 

“Go El Shaddoll Anoyatyllis! Attack Burei!”

 

Anoyatyllis raises her hands into the air as the purple strands lash out at the Synchro Monster. But Joey smirks.

 

“I activate my Trap Card, Zero Gravity! This card shifts the battle positions on the field, so everyone goes into Defense Mode!”

 

As the Trap Card reveals two people floating in space, all four monsters drop to one knee as a glowing gear appears above Joey’s Karakuri Anatomy card.

 

“And that’s not all. I activate my other face-down card, Karakuri Trick House!”

 

His other card flips, revealing a Trap Card that shows a room filled with spikes on the ceiling, large gears on the side and a set of stairs that leads to a darkened room. 

 

“When the battle position of a ‘Karakuri’ monster is changed, I get to destroy one card on the field. And the card I choose is your watery Shaddoll maiden!”

 

Joey's Trap Card glows just as El Shaddoll Anoyatyllis falls into a trap door that forms beneath her feet. She does not scream, but that does not make the situation with Guignol any better, not even when Anoyatyllis’s effect allows her to take El Shaddoll Fusion back to her hand.

 

_ Not good... _ Guignol thinks, seeing how El Shaddoll Winda stands, or rather kneels, alone against Joey’s two monsters. She then looks at the cards in her hand.  _ This better work… _

 

“I end my turn by playing three cards face-down,” she says. “Do your worst, you pathetic excuse for a human being!”

 

At this, Joey’s eyes briefly stop glowing, revealing a pair of amber eyes. Then, Joey growls as the golden threads pulse with a powerful light that causes Guignol to close her eyes momentarily.

 

“You have no idea of the suffering I have gone through, little girl,” he hisses, drawing his card. “And you have no idea of the suffering I am going to inflict today.”

 

“Just make your move,” Guignol growls.

 

“I will. First, I play my newly drawn Karakuri Cash Cache and select Burei on the field. Then, I can take a Level 4 or lower ‘Karakuri’ monster from my deck to my hand, although I must change the battle position of Burei by doing so.”

 

Joey slaps his Spell Card on the field, depicting a white storehouse with gears in the side and a ‘Karakuri’ monster -- Karakuri Merchant mdl 177 “Inashichi” -- inside, counting money. Burei rises onto both feet (2600 ATK) as Joey takes a new card into his hand. Meanwhile, a second glowing gear floats around Karakuri Anatomy.

 

“And with that, I can offer up Karakuri Anatomy to make two more draws. I wonder what surprises will be in store today?”

 

Guignol stays quiet as Karakuri Anatomy fades away and Joey makes two more draws, giving him a total of three cards in his hand. When he looks at what he has drawn, he can’t help but unleash a loud, raucous laugh that would send shivers down any normal person’s spine.

 

“This is perfect!” he shouts. “I’m gonna enjoy watching you fall into despair with this! First, I summing Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 'Saizan’.”

 

With a loud bark, a large hound constructed just like his fellow Karakuri monsters appears with two large cannons constructed out of barrels mounted on its sides and three glowing eyes. It snaps at Guignol, baring his teeth at the girl. (600 ATK)

 

“Then I Tune both my Level 4 Karakuri Ninja and Watchdog together!”

 

The animatronic hound lets out a howl before it turns into three rings while ‘Kuick’ turns into four stars, preparing the stage for another Synchro Summon.

 

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

 

_ “Wooden dolls of the stealthy ninja and loyal watchdog, wind your gears and unleash the full might of the Karakuris! Synchro Summon! Level 8! Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X ‘Bureido’!” _

 

Another samurai appears, wielding two katanas in hits hands. Its body is made of black armor jutted with spikes and he wears a red robe over it. Its helmet has longer curved horns than that of “Burei”, making him look similar to that of a demon. (2800 ATK)

 

“Normally, I’m allowed to Special Summon a ‘Karakuri’ monster from my deck when Bureido is Synchro Summoned,” says Joey. “But El Shaddoll Winda allows only one Special Summon per turn.

 

“So I’m just gonna go to Plan B! I play Guard Penalty! On the turn I play this card, I choose one monster I control. If its battle position changes, I get to draw two cards. And the monster I choose is Karakuri Samurai Burei!”

 

A Quick-play Spell Card appears depicting a boxing match. The referee of said match is being used as a shield by a boxer with blue gloves, protecting himself from his red-gloved opponent.

 

“Not bad,” Guignol observes. “Except that if you’re gonna try to attack me, I'm not gonna lose a lot of lifepoints.”

 

“Well it’s a good thing I drew this too! I activate Karakuri Gold Dust!”

 

He plays another card, depicting a brown sack surrounded by glittering gold dust.

 

“I need at least two ‘Karakuri’ monsters in attack mode to pull this off. First, one of them goes to Defense Mode, and then the other one gains the attack of the one that decided to take a knee.”

 

A Quick-Play Spell Card appears, showing off a bag of shimmering gold dust. Then, a bag of this dust sprinkles itself onto the head of Bureido.

 

_ And because Burei goes into Defense Mode, Guard Penalty’s effect will kick in and he draws two more cards!  _ Guignol thinks, eyes wide. 

 

“Yes,” Joey purrs, seeing Burei drop to Defense Mode. (1900 DEF) He then draws two cards as he watches Bureido’s attack rise to 5400. “Oh and when the position of a ‘Karakuri’ monster changes while ‘Bureido’ is on the field -- and if said monster  _ stays _ face-up when this happens -- I get to draw  _ another  _ card!

 

“And remember, Burei can change the battle position of a monster once per turn, so I’ll bring him back to battle mode once again!

 

As Joey draws another card, Burei rises onto his feet once again, fan ready. (2600 ATK)

 

“And now I attack! Go Burei, attack El Shaddoll Winda!”

 

Burei raises his arms into the air before bringing them down, a large gust of wind flying towards his target.

 

“You’re forgetting something,” says Guignol. “El Shaddoll Winda is in Defense Mode!”

 

“Not for long!” says Joey. “I activate the effect of Karakuri Showdown Castle. When a ‘Karakuri’ monster goes into battle with one of your monsters, I’m allowed to change the battle position of the target.”

 

“Wait, that means…”

 

El Shaddoll Winda rises to her feet, looking just as surprised as Guignol. (2200 ATK) The surprise is short-lived when the gust of wind from Burei’s fan slices her in half.

 

**(Guignol: 5600) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Joey: 8000)**

 

“You’re next, Bureido! Attack directly!”

 

Bureido charges towards Guignol, raising his swords into the air and performs two diagonal slashes that makes Guignol scream as her lifepoints drop and she drops to her knees.

 

**(Guignol: 200) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Joey: 8000)**

 

Guignol gasps for breath, feeling that last attack knock the wind right out of her. Even training under members of her mom’s former gang wasn’t this painful (and this is after said mom told said gang members to not pull their punches!)

 

“When El Shaddoll Winda is sent to the graveyard, I get a ‘Shaddoll’ Spell or Trap card back into my hand.” she states. “But since I don’t have any of those right now, I’ll activate Miracle’s Wake to bring El Shaddoll Winda back.”

 

A Trap Card of light peeking through dark storm clouds appears. Then, Guignol watches as El Shaddoll Winda returns to the field, no worse for the wear. (2200 ATK)

 

“What are you getting from this?” Guignol snarls, struggling to her feet. “Why lure me out here? Why take my puppets? Why? WHY?!”

 

At this, Joey grins and it is then that Guignol notices something off about his face. It doesn’t...look human. 

 

In fact, if Guignol has to make a guess...Joey reminds her of her puppets in that he  _ looks _ human. 

 

So...does this mean...

 

“Finally figured it out, hmm?” Joey chuckles. “Took you long enough, Guignol.”

 

“You’re a puppet,” Guignol whispers. “But how? How are you moving? Who is your puppet master?”

 

“I am my own puppet master,” Joey answers, gold tears falling down his face as he says this. “Once upon a time, I was a grand master of puppetry and would use my puppets to tell magnificent stories. And then, my life was taken away and my soul left to wander for years without rest in order to find my family again.”

 

“You sound like someone from a story,” Guignol notes.

 

“Not just any story,” Joey comments. “It’s a story most puppeteers know well. Without it, there is no reason, no  _ purpose _ to fulfill a life of puppetry.”

 

“What are you talking about?!” Guignol shouts. First, this person has the audacity to kidnap and brainwash her puppets, challenges her to a duel with these annoying Karakuri monsters and then starts confusing her with this strange spiel of a story while she has important things to tend to?

 

At seeing the look of frustration on his opponent’s face, Joey sighs as he wipes away the tears falling down his face.

 

“Tell me…” he begins. “Have you ever heard of the Court of Strings?” 

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

Brendan and Max race across the many layered steps of the audience, ducking and dodging attacks from the puppets and their weapons. Yvonne trained them well, and both of us vampires are unsure whether that is a good thing or not.

 

“What do we do?” asks Max, standing back-to-back with Brendan. “We can't hurt them or else Yvonne will have our heads!”

 

“We have to do something or else these guys will have  _ our _ heads!” Brendan exclaims, ducking a swipe of Puppet Yugo’s scythe. “Wait, do you see those?”

 

“See what?” asks Max, stepping to the side just as Puppet Yuto thrusted his spear at the boy.

 

“Those strings! Look at them!”

 

Max looks at Puppet Yuto and Yuya and gasps. Wrapped around the puppets’ limbs are threads the color of the sun.

 

“Whoever this guy is, he uses the same type of magic like Yvonne does!” says Brendan. “Maybe if we cut those strings, they'll go back to normal!”

 

“Easy for you to say,” says Max. “These guys are tough!”

 

“But we're tougher,” Brendan boasts, summoning a naginata from thin air, its tip wreathed in crimson flames. “Come on!”

 

Max nods his head as he raises hand into the air. A black and white magic wand appears, the tip of the wand unleashing a shower of gold sparks. With a wave of the wand, more sparks strike Puppet Yuto across the face, causing him to stumble back before Max tackles him onto the ground, tearing at the strings with his hands, only for the strings to latch onto his hands and immobilizing him.

 

Brendan thrusts his naginata at Puppet Yugo, swiping at the strings with the flames of his weapon. But for every two strings he swipes, three more take its place. He also has to dodge Puppet Yuri’s attacks from the urumi, knowing that the whip-like blades of the weapon are capable of leaving powerful scratches that could lead to massive blood-loss.

 

“It’s not working!” says Max, his wand unleashing a small ball of fire that burns the strings before he steps back from Puppet Yuya about to slice his neck. “They’ll just keep attacking us until we exhaust ourselves.”

 

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” says Brendan. “Max, stay close. And on my count…”

 

Max steps back until his back is pressed against Brendan’s. Brendan narrows his eyes as he sees the four puppets about to strike. The second that he sees their hands raised into the air...

 

“Ready...and...duck!”

 

Brendan and Max duck at the same time, just as the puppets attack each other, golden strings tangled in their weapons. In the confusion,  Brendan raises his naginata into the air, the flames burning through the strings until they disintegrate into ash.

 

The puppets then collapse to their sides, and so do Brendan and Max.

 

“We did it,” says Brendan, sighing in relief. “They’re free.”

 

“Ow…” Puppet Yuya groans, rubbing his head as he sits up. “What happened?”

 

“You just had a bad dream,” says Brendan in the best imitation of Yvonne’s soft voice that he can muster. Max also begins to comfort the other puppets who look in confusion as they remove the masks on their faces. “It’s going to be okay.”

 

“Where’s Yvonne?” asks Puppet Yuto. “Where are we?”

 

“Why are we in these costumes?” asks Puppet Yuri, staring at his outfit.

 

“You...sort of...went and played hide-and-seek,” Max explains. “But don’t worry, we’re going to take you back so you can perform for everyone today.”

 

“Why is Yvonne dueling?” asks Puppet Yugo, pointing to the stage. “And who is that?”

 

“That’s my brother.”

 

The six jump and turn around, seeing a girl appear in front of them, with auburn hair that falls to her shoulders and wearing a bright pink blouse, jean skirt with navy blue leggings and white sneakers. She fingers the hem of her skirt shyly.

 

“Your brother?” asks Brendan, staring at the girl. “Wait, who are you?”

 

The girl places a hand over her heart. “It’s a long story, but you can call me Serenity. Serenity Wheeler. I know you have lots of questions, but I have to explain something that will help clear things up.

 

“My brother and I have heard that you were performing a play based on the old story of  _ The Cursed Puppets _ , correct?”

 

“It was mostly Yvonne’s idea,” says Brendan. “She wrote and edited and directed the entire thing.”

 

“I can tell,” says Serenity, taking a glance at the female puppeteer in her black coat and white top hat. “But there’s another side of the story, one that leads to what has happened to my older brother’s...predicament.”

 

“What do you mean?” asks Max. “What other side?”

 

Serenity bows her head. “Most puppeteers and supernatural enthusiasts know about the story of the master puppeteer who died and his puppets who traverse the world to reunite with him...but what they don’t know is that there is another story.

 

“And that story talks about what happened to the kingdom of Mateel after the puppets left to wander the Earth.”

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

Intermission comes way too soon. 

 

The second Ryoken is backstage, he sits in a chair, exhausted. He doesn’t know what’s worse: either performing in front of an audience or performing with Yusaku, Takeru and Specter looking like puppets. He has no idea what Yvonne was thinking at the time; why couldn’t she just use some makeup to give them a puppet-like look? It wasn’t like anyone in the audience was going to comment that they weren’t actually real life puppets.

 

And, maybe it’s just him right now, but something doesn’t seem right about those three. Their gaze looks so distant.

 

Perhaps they’re getting into their roles? It looks like they are also feeling exhausted from having instructions and dialogue filled into their minds and then acted out as if they were animatronics. Of course, Yvonne means well in that it is only to make it easier for Takeru, Specter and Yusaku to successfully perform on stage, but the idea of her manipulating them and making them mindless puppets is too much.

 

And at that thought, he considers if his ‘therapy’ on Yusaku is just as hypocritical as what Yvonne did. Ryoken only uses his hypnosis to heal, to comfort, to protect. He would never go as far as making anyone a mindless slave. Dawn herself, while still a bit uncomfortable with how Yusaku would easily fall into a trance at the drop of a hat, understood that it was to help him recover from the Lost Incident. And both Specter and Takeru benefited from a ‘therapy’ session every now and then, but aside from that...

 

Ryoken shakes his head. He’s thinking about this too much.

 

Back on stage, Trip moves his mask so that it covers the right side of his face. There, he can get a better look at that mysterious trio that he sensed earlier. They are all men in their early 20s, and each of them, for some very odd reason, have bracelets on their left wrist that had a name written on them, like a tag.

 

Raising an eyebrow as to why men like these would even  _ wear _ their names like that, Trip begins to look at them individually.

 

The first one had shoulder-length blue hair that looks like the person didn’t seem to bother brushing it with somewhat glassy looking indigo eyes. He wears a white and blue jacket with bright yellow trim, a blue shirt with a white stripe, blue jeans and a pair of blue and white sneakers. On his wrist, the tag reads, “Bruno.”

 

The second one has short black hair with one part sticking out like a feather and equally black eyes. He wears a black jacket with a blue shirt underneath, black and grey pants and black hiking boots. Around his neck is a poofy cyan scarf styled to look like clouds. On his wrist, the nametag reads “Alain.”

 

The last one has dark brown hair that spikes at the end, covered in a blue hat with a black ribbon and calm blue eyes. He wears a matching blue suit with black notch lapels, buttons and pockets. Underneath the suit is a black shirt with a strange golden symbol covering the heart and he also wears brown dress pants and black dress shoes. His nametag reads, “Riley.”

 

Trip narrows his eyes; they look human enough, but something about them is making his skin crawl. It’s the same feeling he has when a story is to be told and there is a huge story in regards to these three.

 

He would personally go and ask them himself, but approaching them would cause serious trouble. There is an aura around him that seems so familiar...if only he knew where it came from.

 

Trip looks down at his watch; the second act starts soon. He pulls out his phone and takes a photo of the puppets before sending it to Yvonne’s phone. Then, he slips his mask over his face without a sound as he makes his way to the podium, preparing himself for the next part of this tragic tale.

 

In fact, everyone backstage is so busy with preparations for the second act, that they don’t pay attention to the thin golden lines of light that descend onto the puppets…

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

_ “After the puppets left, the king whose daughter desired the hand of the puppeteer fell into despair.” _

 

_ “His daughter, his little  _ ray _ of sunshine, was gone, her life snuffed out by three measly puppets. Nevermind the fact that it was  _ she _ who caused the puppeteer's death, that it was  _ she  _ who could not understand that the puppeteer did not love her and would never accept her in his life. That if she had just accepted his wishes, then she would still be alive trying to ruin another innocent man's life for her own amusement, as if these people are toys that were to be played with until they got too old or broke and she decided to toss them aside for something bright and new. _

 

_ “King Leo, for nobody knew his real name but everyone always knew that he wore a silver medal that looked a lion's head, so everyone agreed to call him that for easy remembering, swiftly decreed that all toys of any kind -- puppets, dolls, soldiers, stuffed animals -- were to be confiscated and burned in the town square as if doing so would prevent the kingdom from falling into a hundred years of solitude. Children cried as their beloved companions, some handed down from their parents or even made by their parents with whatever they could scrounge up, were taken away by soldiers who did not want to do this but had no choice but to do so. The advisor to the king, an old man with hair like spider silk and eyes set upon a skull-like face, set everything on fire all while grinning at what he would do next. _

 

_ “The common peasants did their best to rebel against the unfairness of it all, secretly saving squares of cloth, chunks of wood, sheared wool from sheep, to create makeshift toys for their children. But it seemed as if the king could detect the laugh of a child from a mile away, and any child found playing with anything that even  _ looked _ like a toy, was taken away by that same advisor that was quickly named 'The Child Snatcher’.  _

 

_ “Where these children were taken, well, nobody knew for sure. _

 

_ “What people did know was that when the children returned, they were no longer themselves. They didn't smile or laugh or played like regular children did. In fact, they acted more like...puppets. _

 

_ “One of the children who had avoided a fate such as this was the flower girl. She had told no one about what she had seen, for good reason. Yet the more and more gloom she saw, enough that not even her flowers could lift someone's spirits up, the more that image of those puppets festered in her mind like a flower about to push itself out of the Earth to greet the sun for the first time. _

 

_ “And so, when the girl went out to pick flowers, she began to imagine a story in her head -- one that would end happily ever after. She saved up her money from every flower she sold to buy firewood and thread. She begged for old rags and blankets that no one needed anymore. She collected leather scraps, quill pens, wax and pots of ink from book binders when their backs were turned.  _

 

_ “She would make a show, even if it killed her. _

 

_ “However, despite her efforts in covering her tracks, it didn't take long for townsfolk to spread rumors about the girl's daily rounds. Why was she interested with cloths and wood and thread? What good would it do to stand out like that? _

 

_ “Then, mob mentality took place over pathos. She is a witch. She is going to use these items to curse us. We cannot let it happen. _

 

_ “So when it came at long last for the girl to enter the market square with her little puppets and makeshift stage, she barely even spoke the phrase 'Once upon a time’ before her hard work was torn to shreds and trampled on by kids who were once just like her before the Child Snatcher unleashed his black magic on them and soldiers who hardened their hearts by order of the King, and she was captured and taken to him to explain her actions.  _

 

_ “The little flower girl was forced to explain herself. Why was she making puppets? Did she not understand that it was against the law? Did she want to encounter the Child Snatcher? _

 

_ The flower girl with tears streaming down her eyes that could water a patch of flowers told him everything. She made puppets because she wanted to make people happy. She wanted to create a story where the puppets found their master once again. That this was all inspired by the memory of her encountering the puppets that killed his daughter, who would not return until they were reunited with their master. She told the king that she gave them each a flower for good luck, and then watched as they left the kingdom, presumably forever.  _

 

_ “And after she had finished her confession, the king came to this conclusion. She was free to go...to the afterlife. _

 

_ “The King could not let  _ anyone _ who made contact with the puppets to be kept alive; he could not have anyone with puppets be allowed to roam free. Think of the chaos! The tragedy! The horror of puppets coming alive to wreak havoc! He declared that this little girl, who spent her days gathering nosegays and arranging them into bouquets and wreaths to chase away the Prince of Plague or the Princess of Consumption from whisking healthy children away to their kingdoms of death, was a witch and must be burned at stake. _

 

_ “You can probably guess what happened next. _

 

_ “A humongous spectacle was made for this scapegoat, the source of all their misery and loss of their children's happiness and joy. If she died, they all agreed, then things would go back to the way they were. The kingdom would be happy and complacent once this witch was sacrificed in honor of the late Princess Ray -- that is what the king and his council agreed upon. _

 

_ “No one came to help this poor little girl. Everyone came to watch her  _ burn.

 

_ “The little flower girl said nothing as she was tied to a post and kindling was placed under her feet. It was because she decided to make this puppet show that she was going to die. If she had just kept the encounter with her and the puppets secret, then she would not have to go through this torture. She would have been able to grow up and perhaps fall in love and have a son or daughter and tell them after tucking them into bed all of the magnificent tales that once brought happiness and joy throughout the kingdom before a heartless and selfish lion king in mourning took that all away because his grief and despair was more important than the combined happiness of his subjects. _

 

_ “And as she lifted her head to the sky, the flower girl wept for someone, whether they be a god or demon, saint or monster...she prayed that someone would help her get revenge, to bring back the puppet shows like geese returning from migrations in the south, to cleanse the kingdom with relentless fire just as heartless and cruel and unforgiving as King Leo before washing it away with a merciful rain, to see that the puppets would reunite with their master, to pass down the puppeteer's stories and traditions before they would be forgotten forever by this ignorant king and his corrupt council who made children grow up to be heartless soldiers instead of relishing in their youth. _

 

_ “And, to her surprise, someone heeded her call. _

 

_ “The girl saw, or perhaps hallucinated, a woman with skin as white as ivory, who wore a beautiful dress as bright as a rainbow sun and a long train of flowers that could only have bloomed from a garden of dreams that she would never ever tend to. Her long flowing blood-red hair was decorated with crow feathers and topped with a crown carved out of an antler that looked like two crescent moons, and she wore necklaces with thread made from poison ivy, strung with beads made out of glass and painted to look like eyes. _

 

_ “'Little blossom,’ this woman said, only to her. 'I have come to take you to my home, and you will bathe in water filled with rose petals and eat bread with butter and jam for breakfast, dine on roast potatoes and beef and hot leek soup for supper, and drink milk with fresh cream every single day. You will water my garden and tell your stories to the flowers and to the birds who will scatter your tales into the seven winds and sing tales underneath the light of a blue moon. Will you join me?’ _

 

_ “How could this girl say no? This place the woman described was a thousand times better than a kingdom whose people watched her burn. _

 

_ “‘However,’ the woman continued. ‘I am going to need a name. Speak up now.’ _

 

_ “With the flames already burning her feet, the girl quickly whispered one word. But to her, this word had a thousand different meanings, none of them that people could use to control or manipulate her if they should choose to do so. _

 

_ “And after that, she passed on, with no one to remember that she once sold flowers to a kingdom who needed happiness more than anything.” _

_ … _

_ … _

_ … _

 

_ “The seasons passed. The moon turned full at least ten dozen times, maybe eleven. In any case, time cast its spell that made the Mateel kingdom forget about the dead princess, the executed puppeteer, the wandering puppets, the flower girl accused of being a witch.  _

 

_ “Even though children could play with toys again, puppet shows were still forbidden. Not a single troupe of puppeteers was allowed to perform in that kingdom and anyone who tried was quickly made an example of by being hung, their bodies splayed out like the puppets they cared for. _

 

_ “Things were quiet, until a group of children wandered deep into the forest and found a peculiar site. _

 

_ “They found a magnificent little house the color of fresh butter, with smoke puffing out from the chimney, with flowers growing in the gardens whose names they could not nor would ever know. The birds liked to fly and tweet sweet songs, the winds laughed and carried the songs towards the mountains, and the garden...oh the garden was filled with so many types of plants! Cabbage heads that could give birth to a baby at any minute, bright red potatoes that could be mistaken for rubies, leafy green spinach that could make even the pickiest child crave for a bite, onions that could make any soul weep when sliced, bunches of leeks perfect for soup...it was more than enough food that the children had ever seen in their entire lives, enough to host lavish feasts at the castle for a year! _

 

_ “But who could own such a house and garden? And would they mind if they carried some of these crops home for their families? Surely they wouldn't… _

 

_ “The children entered the garden, all of them tempted to pull out veggies or pluck berries just for a taste...but just as they were about to do so, they heard a voice from inside the house. _

 

_ “'Who dares to trespass into my home without permission?’ they asked. _

 

_ “The children attempted to flee, but the owner of the house emerged just before they could even turn around. The person was...something else. Smooth skin the color of ivory, a dress with a hundred colors, red hair with black feathers woven into it, a crown carved from antlers...she looked just like a princess! _

 

_ “‘Please don't be mad!’ A young girl cried. 'We only wanted to bring some of these crops home to our families! We don't have nearly enough to eat!’ _

 

_ “‘And if I were to give you my crops, what is to say that you desire more and more until I end up with nothing for my own?’ The strange woman asked. ‘How do I know that I can entrust my crops with you?’ _

 

_ “‘What would it take for you to believe us?’ asked a boy whose shirt was two sizes too big. _

 

_ “The woman thought about this for a while, before it came to her. _

 

_ “‘Would you come and visit me once a week to tend to my garden, to feed my birds and to help me with my chores? Would you help gather wood for my fire, to draw water from the well, to clean and sweep and mend and cook whatever it is I ask of you? In return, I shall reward you all with enough crops to fill your bellies for an entire month and perhaps tell you some stories that you will never hear anywhere else.’ _

 

_ “That was a sensible deal. Do some chores and get rewarded. And the idea of stories was very tempting. _

 

_ “‘What do we call you then?’ asked a boy. _

 

_ “The woman smiled. ‘When you are here with me, you may call me by my real name of Lady Belladonna. But when you mention me in your homes, I am simply to be known as the Puppet Queen.’” _

 

“Hold on a minute!”

 

Serenity takes in a deep breath of air as Brendan shakes his head. For the past few minutes, he, Max and the Puppet Yus have listened to her yarn and all of its long and winding threads. Brendan feels his head spin from trying to keep up, but Max and the puppets have their eyes wide with curiosity, begging Serenity to continue.

 

“Okay, what are you trying to say?” says Brendan. “How does all of this relate to our situation?”

 

Serenity sighs, slightly annoyed. “I'm getting there; you cannot rush a good story. Just one more act and you will know all that I know.”

 

“Joy…”

 

Serenity ignores Brendan's sarcasm as she clears her throat.  _ “And so, the children fulfilled their end of the deal to Lady Belladonna. They would come to the forest once a week to help with her chores. Pulling weeds, planting seeds, harvesting crops, gather firewood and water, help her cook soups and bake bread and mend anything that happened to be broken. In return, Lady Belladonna would entertain her helpers with stories from her youth, when puppets would come to life and make stories that would make anyone smile. She showed them her collection of puppets who danced and sang on her command, and the children laughed and cheered in reply. _

 

_ “The parents became suspicious when their children came home after their work was done, carrying bushels of potatoes, onions, leeks, cabbages, carrots, apples in their arms. They feasted on warm loaves of bread topped with sugar and covered in clotted cream, to the point that they could not and would not stomach regular bread which was hard as rocks and just as tasty.   _

 

_ “Where did they obtain such bounties? And what were they doing in the forest? _

 

_ “But every time these adults asked, the children answered with, 'The Puppet Queen, of course. We help tend her garden and she tells us stories in return. She is absolutely wonderful!’ _

 

_ “Word spread through the kingdom like a plague. These children always smiled like they had some sort of secret game played between them, and other parents -- upon seeing how industrious and prosperous this group had become -- forced  _ their  _ good-for-nothing children to find the Puppet Queen and demand her to give them crops too. Lady Belladonna did not mind in the slightest; the more the merrier. _

 

_ “And so, children would freely enter her garden and did everything that she asked and for and more. They milked cows and gathered eggs from chickens. They collected vegetables and dried herbs or soaked them in oil. They gathered flowers to make beautiful bouquets and wreaths. They learned to write and read and make their own stories. They learned to sing songs that would make a mountain blush. _

 

_ “But as time went on, the adults noticed something...off about these children. _

 

_ “Not only were they doing their work around the house so well that there would eventually be nothing for them to do, but now there were rumors that this woman was a witch who enchanted the children into becoming puppets that would soon give way to a mass killing spree or the like. _

 

_ “And after what happened the last time, no one wanted to deal with that horror. _

 

_ “These fears became apparent after the children did not return home one night. Soldiers were asked to enter the forest and look for someone called a 'Puppet Queen’ so that she could be brought to justice for her crimes. Ten soldiers on horseback raced into the forest, but they could find no sign of a Puppet Queen or her house or her garden. _

 

_ “Instead, they found two peculiar things. _

 

_ “The first was a little girl who could plait flowers into crowns and wreaths. When asked who she was, all she could say was 'Secret’. In fact, that was what she said to anything the soldiers asked her. _

 

_ “The second peculiar thing was that she had a life-size puppet that resembled King Leo's daughter. No one could forget her face -- as the king had a large portrait of her in the castle -- and she looked as if she did not age a day. She was so beautiful that looking at her was like being shot in the heart with an arrow. _

 

_ “The girl and the puppet were soon taken to King Leo himself, to see what he could make of it. If there was anyone who could figure out this problem, it was him. _

 

_ “However, the King paid no attention to the lost children. All that he cared about was that his daughter had returned to him in some fashion. His little ray of sunshine had returned; nothing else mattered to him. _

 

_ “Alas, a king who only focuses on his desires only ends up destroying everyone in the end. _

 

_ “As parents wailed over the disappearance of their little ones, King Leo had the little girl -- Secret, due to how she only whispered that word -- try to make his puppet daughter come to life. It had to be like the old legends stated; puppets came to life to fulfill some unfinished business. So surely this puppet could come alive to avenge her death on the puppets that killed her, correct?” _

 

_ “Secret did not answer. Well, not verbally. She could read and write though. So she wrote down that she would need the cooperation of the king if he wanted the puppet princess to truly  _ become _ his daughter again. Secret would need access to the King's library, to the royal tomb that held his real daughter's body, and the secret dungeon that belonged to the Child Snatcher. In return for her service, Secret was to be paid in half of the gold in the Treasury. _

 

_ “The king swiftly agreed to these terms. He would give up  _ anything _ for his daughter. _

 

_ “But this did not bode well for everyone else. Parents still wailed for their children to return, but search parties into the forest ended with nothing. Soldiers were upset that they were not being paid for their services since the king was too busy spending it all on his daughter. Worse, soldiers would be caught fighting over her affection, even though all she would do was just move her head with a look someone has when half asleep whenever these soldiers confessed their love to her with roses and a song. Many of them died for her affections, which overall amounted to the same amount of compassion one gave to a sack of potatoes. She saw no worth in these heartless boys who acted like men, all grown up and their hearts hard as rocks. It didn’t take long before men killed each other for even a single smile on her face. _

 

_ “Even the Child Snatcher found all of this suspicious. This little girl showed no emotion, looking and acting more like a doll than anything else. But she was the only one who knew how to activate the puppet princess, so she stayed. The Child Snatcher grew furious; what did the king see in this little pest in the first place? _

 

_ “The answer came after twelve more moons passed. _

 

_ “Secret had finally found the spell that would let the soul of the dead princess become absorbed into the new body. She demonstrated it with great skill, a silver orb of light entering the heart of the puppet and making her walk, talk and, most importantly, shed tears of joy at being alive once more. _

 

_ “But alas, that spell took the life out of poor little Secret. She died, and no one cared that she did. _

 

_ “The king threw a celebration for the return of his daughter, something that not everyone in the kingdom was happy about. After all, why was King Leo the only one to gain happiness for his child's return? Where were  _ their _ children? Why could he not give an iota of empathy for them compared to the unconditional love he had for his own flesh and blood? _

 

_ “This proved to be the final straw. The peasants were off to revolt. _

 

_ “But that was not on the king's mind. He had his soldiers -- or at least, what remained after they had massacred each other in the name of love -- to take care of any Uprising, and in the meantime, he had his servants prepare the banquet for an elaborate feast. The dining table was to be polished along with the silver, the meats to be cured and roasted, the cheese and wine that were aged in the cellar to be brought out, the breads to be baked. All the dishes were to be covered in as much spice as possible, all goblets were to be filled with wine. Everything had to be  _ perfect.

 

_ “The princess was to wear a fine dress with roses both the color of a full moon, a crown of silver upon her dainty head. Yes, she was to be as spoilt as she was in her previous body, but for some reason she withdrew to the silent form of the lifeless puppet as the days to the feast drew nearer and nearer. Perhaps she was nervous; after all, the peasants were not happy and she did send an innocent man to death which culminated to the situation at hand. Perhaps she felt remorseful? _

 

_ “Whatever she felt, no one knew until the very last minute. _

 

_ “Finally, the day came. Kings, queens, dukes, duchesses, lords and ladies from other kingdoms arrived to see the newly resurrected princess. The princess said nothing even as King Leo toasted to how the Mateel Kingdom would flourish. _

 

_ “But who are we kidding? After everyone toasted and sipped wine from their goblets, the uprising began. _

 

_ “I won’t bore you with such details…” _

 

“Thank you!” says Brendan.

 

Serenity sighs.  _ “But peasants and royalty did not clash well. King Leo grabbed his puppet of a princess’s hand and decided to escape using one of the hidden passageways that would take them into the forest. However, the king seemed out of breath. Perhaps from all of the running? The panicking? The fact that he was getting on in age? _

 

_ “No, it was because he was poisoned. _

 

_ “Oh, don’t be  _ too _ surprised. For you see, unbeknownst to the king, many of his servants were sick and tired of the cruelty the king gave and were given suggestions by a mysterious woman with blood-red hair to change the menu to make it much more...deadly. Flowers that were once used to bring happiness and peace were used for the opposite. For death, for murder, for  _ vengeance.

 

_ “Every single food in the feast was poisoned. Everything from the meats to the fish to the desserts...no one knew. How could anyone know? The spices were unlike anything these wealthy folk would not see coming. It was designed to take effect after the feast was over, as they all traveled home for a good night’s rest. That and it also activated when one heartbeat was as fast as a deer chased by hunters. _

 

_ “The peasants, who had no idea what had happened, celebrated by feasting on the food that was left behind. Soon enough, the castle was filled with all sorts of corpses and those who managed to escape were swiftly killed off by young figures with eyes glowing gold, doll-like bodies covered in darkness. _

 

_ “Shadow puppets you might say. _

 

_ “The Child Snatcher also tried to escape with his experiments on turning people into puppets through a use of parasites. Instead, he ended up dying in his own laboratory by a fire, just like the little girl who was burned at stake. _

 

_ “But the King would not see this. Instead, he would collapse onto the ground as the puppet princess smiled and whispered, ‘My revenge is now complete.’ _

 

_ “‘Who are you?’ The king wheezed out with what was left of his life. _

 

_ “The puppet princess stayed silent before she smiled and said one word… _

 

_ “'Secret’. _

 

_ “But that wasn't enough. Secret began to hurl at least 12 dozen moons of hurt and anger at the king for his actions, because it was all of his fault that his kingdom was left to burn. _

 

_ “‘Once, a little flower girl encountered a trio of puppets who only wanted to find their master,’ she began, the voice of a little girl resonating in a body that would never be hers. ‘Instead, she witnessed her home fall into melancholy by a king whose heart loved his daughter but did nothing to reign her in. The flower girl only wanted to do something to lift people’s spirits; instead, she was tossed aside to burn like she was nothing more than a piece of firewood. _

 

_ “‘Were it not for the Puppet Queen, the flower girl would have died for a hopeless cause. Instead, she has become the daughter of Lady Belladonna, and has spent these last collection of moons plotting out revenge, taking away the children that you sent into despair to be forever young and happy in Lady Belladonna’s arms. And that spell that  _ I  _ casted? It wasn’t to revive your daughter. Rather, it was to transfer my soul into this new body, the body I would have obtained if I was allowed to perform my puppet show in peace.  _

 

_ “‘And as the daughter of Lady Belladonna the Puppet Queen, I cast this curse on you. _

 

_ “‘For your selfishness, you will see your daughter die in front of your eyes. But no matter what you do, you will  _ never _ resurrect her. Your selfish antics will cause suffering to everyone else, and in the end, you shall die alone with no one to love you as much as you loved your little ray of sunshine. Your words for complacency will lull innocent lambs into slaughter and in the end you will carry the weight of a thousand souls on your back and shall have no rest for a cause that, in the end, shall be deemed worthless.’ _

 

_ “And as he laid dying, the last thing King Leo saw was the puppet of his daughter giving him a cold smile, just like how the one made of flesh and blood smiled at the master puppeteer after his head was chopped off. _

 

_ “How poetic. The king ruined an entire kingdom and accused a girl of being a witch all because of his feelings towards his daughter. And now that very same girl ruined his legacy by using said feelings for a mere  _ shadow _ of his daughter. _

 

_ “Secret watched the old fool die before looking at her new body. It would need some changes, but she would soon have the body she would have obtained if she were not burned at stake all those years ago. _

 

_ “And the first thing she would change was the color of her hair, to match the pale yellow hues of the roses she gave to those puppets all those years ago.” _

_... _

_ … _

_ … _

 

_ “The Mateel Kingdom was gone. The king who sought to stamp out happiness, the Child Snatcher, the soldiers, the adults...all of them were dead, their names forgotten, but their sins remembered by the demons who tortured them in their boiling pots. _

 

_ “Lady Belladonna the Puppet Queen smiled as she and her newly fashioned puppets entered the kingdom and danced and sang amongst the fallen bodies. There would be a need for strong, untiring workers to help rebuild the kingdom to her liking.  _

 

_ “These people could no longer be considered human. Not anymore. Now they were nothing more than puppets who needed new roles, new parts to play, new... _ purposes.

 

_ “Lady Belladonna and her puppets, who were all once children who helped with her chores, their memories of their past lives erased like paper turned to ash, set to work. They had to clean up the town, fill it with the laughter and cheer of children, ask the wind to carry their message to all four corners of the world and across the seven seas, plant flowers of all types to bring beauty and death if they asked for it. Houses were to be cleaned, hearths to be lit, and everything else to be sorted out for the foreseeable future. _

 

_ “And last, the castle and all its treasure would be used to build an institution for puppetry, where the stories of the puppeteer could be preserved, and where new puppets could be made then delivered to children who were in need of companionship. This would become a refuge for puppeteers to pass down their techniques from one generation to another, and would create a guild like no other that had been built nor has been built since. _

 

_ “It was to be known as the ‘Court of Strings’.” _

 

_ … _

_ … _

_... _

 

Brendan and Max stay silent as Serenity finally finishes her tale. The puppets applaud her, however.

 

“That was just like how Yvonne tells her stories!” Puppet Yuya cheers. “You’re amazing, Serenity!”

 

Serenity gives the puppets a tiny smile. “Thank you. I really appreciate that.”

 

“That king was so mean,” Puppet Yuri pouts. “I’d never ever want to meet up with someone like him.”

 

“But wait,” says Puppet Yugo, tilting his head. “How does this relate to Yvonne and her opponent right now?”

 

“And how does that relate to you?” asks Puppet Yuto, staring at Serenity. “Unless…”

 

Serenity shakes her head. “My brother and I are descendants of one of the oldest families of puppeteers that serve Lady Belladonna,” she explains. “We help teach puppet magic for those who have heard the Song of the Strings in their hearts and to collect any and all lost or discarded puppets so that they can be given new purposes for children in need of companionship.

 

“And, more importantly, we are also tasked in our never-ending sojourns to search for the soul of the master puppeteer so that he can finally achieve the peace he has sought for in the arms of his beloved puppets.”

 

“You know you could have just told us that from the very beginning,” Brendan observes. “Why go on such a long spiel?”

 

Serenity frowns. “Because each and every part of that story holds significance. If I were to remove even a  _ single _ detail out, it would be like...like having the puzzle of a portrait but you're missing a piece and said piece is the one that reveals the face of said portrait. You know that portrait reveals something but without the face, you can't truly  _ know  _ what the portrait is until you find said piece.”

 

“How did you know that you were a puppeteer?” Max asks, slightly curious.

 

“That was due to our father,” Serenity answers. “He was an alcoholic, a compulsive gambler, an abusive husband. He did what he wanted, spent all our money to pay off debts, slapped us and pulled our hair so that we had no choice but to cut it short. And that's not counting the times he threatened to set us on fire.

 

“My mother had the gift of puppetry, but she never used it for fear of her husband beating her up more than usual, or thinking that Joey and I were also freaks and unleashing punishments on us for being so 'different’. She should have used her powers, for magic of any kind that is suppressed ends up growing wild and savage like a tiger who hasn't eaten in weeks. When it finally cut loose, it caused an explosion that burned our house down, knocked me unconscious, and took both father and big brother into the arms of Death himself.

 

“It was only after I recovered that my mother finally made use of her talent; she would train me into the art of puppetry and then 'repurposed’ big brother and father into her very liking. Father was now a kind gentleman who never drank or gambled or beat his wife or children. And big brother…”

 

“He became the same one who kidnapped Yvonne's puppets.” Max finishes, staring at the blond haired teenage boy with the Karakuri monsters.

 

“Well, yes, but there's more to it than that,” says Serenity, the look in her amber eyes making her so tired of it all.

 

“What do you mean by that?” asks Brendan. “And is this going to lead into  _ another  _ ten minute story?” That last question is said with a bit of irritation.

 

“No, I already fulfilled my role as storyteller for today,” says Serenity. Brendan sighs in relief. “And what I mean is that my brother...well, it seemed as Lady Belladonna decreed that he was to be the reincarnation of the master puppeteer.”

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“You're  _ what _ ?!”

 

Joey nods his head. Guignol shakes her head in disbelief and horror.

 

“That's not possible…” she gasps. “You can’t be the master puppeteer of the Cursed Puppets tale. You of all people…”

 

“I am,” Joey states solemnly. “In a former life, I was Jonathan Blake, a skilled puppeteer who once brought happiness to everyone with his puppets. But then, that princess came and had me killed because I did not show any signs of affection towards her. I found myself awoken after the 'me’ that was Joey Wheeler died many years ago. When I was repurposed into this puppet body you see before you, I gained the memories of my life as Jonathan Blake and felt it in my heart. That I was brought here to reunite with my puppets.

 

“I feel it. Their presence is in this city. But I have spent years searching and never finding them, observing puppeteers who had an iota of the talents I had with puppets to see if they would be initiated into the Court of Strings. None had that gift...until you came along, of course.”

 

“And the Court of Strings?” Guignol repeats. “That can't exist. It's a myth told in children's puppet shows as a scam to keep the art of puppetry alive, making children offer blood, sweat and tears for a make-believe guild that they will never see and will forever be mocked at for believing it! It's not real!”

 

Joey tilts his head. “How would you know for certain?”

 

Guignol bows her head, a memory of three teenagers wearing black with white skulls on their outfits leering over her appearing in her mind. “Because once when I was a little girl still mourning over the death of her older brother and her puppets had recently come alive, I was praised by a couple of teens in black outfits with skulls on their shirts who invited me into their little club, the Court of Strings. What they really wanted to do was pawn my puppets and threatened to chop my fingers off if I refused.

 

“My puppets made quick work out of them, and I vowed that I would  _ never _ foolishly believe that the Court of the Strings existed because if it did exist, it wouldn't have introduced me to a trio of jerks who only saw the value of my puppets in the money that they make if they were to be sold to a collector or the like.”

 

“I assume that those three were once aspiring puppeteers who believed in the Court of Strings, but they just didn't have the talent for puppetry and lashed out on you for having the potential to obtain what they could never achieve,” Joey theorizes.

 

“I'll never know, seeing as they ended up like the skulls on their shirts,” Guignol notes. “The last thing I needed were more jerks to take advantage over my depressed state while I tried to move on from my brother’s death.”

 

“...My sincere condolences to him,” Joey states in a solemn tone. “I hope he has found some semblance of peace.”

 

“You and I both.” Guignol hastily wipes a tear that falls down from her eye before adding, “But don’t think I’m gonna let you use my brother’s death to coerce me to working with you or whatever. After what you caused by brainwashing my puppets, it’s safe to say that I’m  _ never _ letting them within a five-foot radius of you.”

 

Joey snickers before he raises his head to the sky and laughs. This laugh sends chills down Guignol’s spine.

 

“What the hell is so funny?” she asks.

 

Joey sighs as he shakes his head. When he grins, his teeth glow the same golden color as the shine in his eyes, his tears and his strings.

 

“Your puppets are safe,” he says. “But what about the ones performing today at the Marionette Theater?”

 

“What puppets? I don’t have any puppets performing right n--”

 

At this, Guignol places a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in alarm.

 

“My spell…” she whispers, remembering how she transformed Takeru, Yusaku and Specter into puppets. “You’re going to…”

 

“Yes,” Joey hisses. “I can sense the souls of puppets all across the city and was lucky to find out that you just recently fashioned three individuals into beautiful puppets. And while we’ve been dueling, I have let my threads reach out towards them, letting them slowly fall under my control just like I how I brought your little ones to the stage here.“

 

“Then this whole duel, the Karakuris...they’ve been nothing more than a distraction?”

 

“Remember what I said earlier?” Joey chuckles. “The most important rule about magic is  _ deception. _ And if I cannot reunite with my puppets, then I will take yours instead.”

 

“You can’t do that!” Yvonne exclaims. “Takeru, Yusaku and Specter are not your playthings! They have lives. They have people who like them to be human!”

 

“Then why oh why would you go as far as to turn them into puppets?”

 

At this, Guignol pauses. “What do you mean?”

 

“Wouldn’t it have been logical to just dress those three up as puppets instead of  _ transforming _ them into puppets for one day?” Joey chuckles. “Guignol, what you don’t want to admit is that you just  _ love  _ being to pull one’s strings, to control a person just like you can guide marionettes on stage for your shows. Think about it; if you could control people, then you could make them do whatever you want. You would be able to stop people with evil in their hearts from hurting others. You could’ve been able to save your brother if you had that ability.”

 

“...”

 

“Your brother died because of someone else’s wickedness, didn’t he?” Joey asks softly. “If you had that type of power, you would be able to stop evil from spreading. You’d have your brother back, wouldn’t you?”

 

“It would be nice…” Guignol admits. “Having that power to transform that bastard Viren before he caused the accident that caused Xavier to be sent into a coma would have been sweet. But…”

 

She looks towards the audience and sees Brendan, Max and her puppets staring back at her. A small smile forms on her face as she sees her puppets waving at her and cheering her on. A part of Guignol has wondered what would have happened if Xavier wasn’t sent into his coma. Would that have prevented her from meeting these puppets? From learning how to fight with a knife all while dressing up as a puppeteer? From having a life with these four little sweethearts filling the void in her heart, giving her a new purpose after her brother’s passing?

 

If Xavier was alive, she’d be a normal girl who would go to school and...well, she never thought about what would have happened if things went the way that they were supposed to. Xavier would have become a Turbo Duelist, yes, but her? She’d have no direction…

 

But with Xavier’s death, her life has meaning. Now she had a purpose; to prevent the horrors that affected her and her mother from happening to other people. To kill off people who would stoop so low in order to hurt others for their own sadistic desires. And if it weren’t for these skills in killing and murdering, Dawn would have been repurposed as...well, she doesn’t want to even  _ think _ about that trafficking case.

 

Guignol takes a deep breath as she stares at Joey, feeling sorry for him and the traumas that he has gone through. However...

 

“Just because I transformed Yusaku, Takeru and Specter into puppets doesn’t mean I’m a complete sadist,” she says. “And that is the major difference between you and me right now. You have the memories of someone who suffered long ago, but that doesn’t give you the right to to use other people as  _ dolls _ for your amusement and happiness!” Guignol snarls. “I suffered too, but I channel the experience into something that benefits others. What you're doing is lashing out at the world and holding temper tantrums and taking things that don't belong to you. Talk about being selfish.”

 

“Selfish?” Joey snarls. “I deserve to be happy and in the arms of my puppets! I will be reunited and those who will try to stop me with die! You can't stop me, Guignol!”

 

“I can and I will! I draw!”

 

Nearly tearing the card out of the deck, Guignol looks at what she’s drawn. She only has one chance at this.

 

“I flip my face-down card, Shaddoll Core!”

 

The card flips and the strange seven-headed dragon statue with the dark crystal appears once again. (1450 ATK)

 

“And then, I’m playing El Shaddoll Fusion for the last time, fusing Shaddoll Core and El Shaddoll Winda to unleash my signature monster! Stage on, you two!”

 

El Shaddoll Fusion appears once more as El Shaddoll Winda and Shaddoll Core levitate in the air before spinning round and round until they become one pinpoint of darkness.

 

_ “Resurrected priestess fused with a darkened core! Let the darkness entangle you and create a new body right there and now! Fusion Summon! Take the stage, El Shaddoll Construct!” _

 

Emerging from the darkness is a statue of a woman with alabaster skin and a strange lavender dress with golden orbs. From her back are hundreds of violet threads of light, the source of all of the threads that corrupted the other Shaddoll monsters. (2800 ATK)

 

“You know what Shaddoll Core does, so I don’t have to say it,” says Guignol, not even looking when she takes El Shaddoll Fusion to her hand again. “When El Shaddoll Construct is summoned, I can send a ‘Shaddoll’ monster from my deck to the graveyard. And the one I choose is Shaddoll Beast so I can draw a card in my hand.”

 

Shaddoll Construct raises her hands into the air as the card for Shaddoll Beast briefly appears before fading away. Then, Guignol looks at her deck.

 

_ This is it... _ she thinks to herself.  _ If there’s any real-life benevolent ruler of puppets out there...please, I need help. Yes, I ‘fashioned’ Specter, Takeru and Yusaku into puppets, but to bring smiles on people’s faces, not to cause any harm. And only for one afternoon! If I ever decide to fashion a person into a puppet, it’s only to make them happy, not for my own happiness. _

 

_ Please, just let me draw something good….  _

 

_ And, maybe, just maybe...for the poor souls of Jonathan Blake and Joey Wheeler...please let me help give them rest. _

 

Taking a deep breath, Guignol draws her card and slowly brings it toward her eyes. She gasps.

 

_ My most powerful card!  _ She thinks.  _ Thank you, mighty ruler of Puppets! _

 

“It’s time for the grand finale!” Guignol shouts. “I play the Spell Card  _ Super Polymerization _ !”

 

She plays her card, depicting a strange black nebula and lightning bolts striking the center of the card. A dark wind begins to blow as Guignol grins. Although her teeth aren’t gold, Joey can tell that Grand Lorde Guignol means business.

 

“This card is a very unique form of Polymerization that allows me to use a monster that you control as Fusion Material for the cost of one card in my hand So I discard El Shaddoll Fusion to fuse Shaddoll Dragon and your Steel Samurai Karakuri Bureido to bring out a force that will knock you off of your feet!”

 

“What?!” Joey gasps.

 

“You heard me!” Guignol shouts. “Let’s see how  _ you  _ like it when someone decides to use someone you care about into a puppet!”

 

A large hurricane forms on the field as Shaddoll Fusion and Steel Samurai Karakuri “Bureido” rise into the air. Then, the theater shakes as Guignol stares at Joey, her eyes glowing bright blue. 

 

_ “Shadow dragon fused with a soul of quaking earth! Let the darkness entangle you and create a new body right there and now! Fusion Summon! Take the stage, El Shaddoll Shekhinaga!” _

 

Then, the new figure descends into the field. At first, she looks similar to Shaddoll Construct, but it now wears white with the purple strings that are on her back binding her to four strange massive white/black spikes that pierce the ground without care. The expression on the new monster’s face is passive just like the one on El Shaddoll Construct’s. (2600 ATK)

 

“Since Shaddoll Dragon was sent to the graveyard by card effect, I get to destroy a Spell or Trap Card on the field. And I choose that face-down card of yours.”

 

The spectral form of Shaddoll Dragon appears, unleashing a blast of purple fire that incinerates the card.

 

“Foolish waste of an effect,” says Joey, shaking his head. “I activate my face-down card right now. Go Runaway Karakuri!”

 

His card flips, revealing Karakuri Merchant mdl 177 “Inashichi” with glowing red eyes and firing a wooden gun in his left hand as multiple flares fly about.

 

“This card increases the attack of one ‘Karakuri’ monster on the field by 1000 and negates their effect this turn. You don’t need to be a genius to see where this goes.”

 

Burei glows as its attack raise from 2600 to 3600.

 

“Good thing you revealed it,” says Guignol. “But now it's time to fight! Go El Shaddoll Construct! Attack Burei!”

 

“Are you that much of a fool?” Joey exclaims. “Your monster is too weak!”

 

Guignol grins. “I activate my face-down card, Battle Fusion! When my Fusion Monster goes into a battle with one of your monsters, I can increase its attack equal to that of the targeted monster. So thanks for using that card of yours on Burei because that’s another thousand reasons to kick your ass!”

 

Another of Guignol’s cards flips over, showing two fighters fighting in a mountainous area one of them being a sword wielder wearing a purple tunic and teal cape, and the other one wearing a violet cloak and red scarf while channeling lightning in his hands. Then, El Shaddoll Construct glows with a pure white light before her stats rise. (2800 -) 6400 ATK) She then flies across the field and delivers a powerful punch through Karakuri Samurai ‘Burei’, enough to split him in half.

 

**(Guignol: 200) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Joey: 5200)**

 

“You’re next, El Shaddoll Shekhinaga! Attack directly!”

 

El Shaddoll Shekhinaga crawls towards her target with those four long spires of hers. She raises two into the air and they pummel Joey into the theater. Once, twice, three times before she returns. Joey still stands, panting for breath as his lifepoints drop once again.

 

**(Guignol: 200) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Joey: 2600)**

 

“I end this with one card face-down,” says Guignol, slipping one more card into her Duel Disk. “And it’s curtain call for you soon, Joey...Jonathan...whatever you’re gonna call yourself in the future!”

 

Joey grits his teeth as he draws his card. “First, I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy my Karakuri Showdown Castle.”

 

The tornado blows the Japanese castle up into the sky, the scenery now the strange circus show once again.

 

“And when Karakuri Showdown Castle is destroyed, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or higher ‘Karakuri’ monster from my graveyard onto the field. And I choose Steel Samurai mdl 00X ‘Bureido’!”

 

“Do you always have to state their entire name?” Guignol questions, seeing the Level 8 Synchro rise onto the field.

 

“Do you have a card that will defend you from my attack?” Joey retorts.

 

He points to El Shaddoll Shekhinaga and the samurai charges forward, swords ready to slice the monster's head clean off.

 

“Actually, I do,” Guignol answers. “I activate my face-down card, Magic Cylinder!”

 

Her face-down card lifts, revealing two magenta cylinders with arrows painted on the side. Two large cylinders emerge from the card, with one sucking Steel Samurai Bureido inside with a loud slurping noise.

 

“What goes around comes around,” says Guignol. “Take this!”

 

Joey says nothing as the other cylinder launches the Synchro monster towards him, the Karakuri monster bringing his swords down on his master and dropping his lifepoints to zero.

 

**(Guignol: 200) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- (Joey: 0)**

 

Joey lies on stage, the golden threads losing their glow as more and more of those strange golden tears fall down his face. He chuckles, a low, sad sound in his throat as the monsters fade away. Guignol pants for breath. That was too close.

 

“She did it!” her puppets cheer. “She beat the evil puppeteer!”

 

Serenity says nothing, and neither do Brendan nor Max. On stage, Guignol approaches Joey, noticing the golden tears that trickle down his face as he continues his mournful laugh.

 

“I just wanted to see them again,” he murmurs. “Why...why do you have to prolong my suffering, Lady Belladonna?”

 

Guignol stays silent as she stretches her hand out. Her blue threads float towards the golden ones that shield their master from this girl. She shakes her head, beckoning the gold threads to trust her. Reluctantly, these threads slowly tie themselves around the blue threads as she pulls Joey into a sitting position.

 

“You know,” Guignol begins. “If you wanted to find your puppets so badly or wanted an audience with me, you could’ve just asked.”

 

Joey laughs again, a humorless empty laugh. The tears continue to fall as people approach the stage.

 

“What happened back there?” asks Brendan. “What was his plan?”

 

“It’s a long story,” Guignol answers, noticing the grimace on Brendan’s face. “But let’s just say that we have to get back to Marionette Theater right now.”

 

“Yeah, we know,” says Max, comforting Guignol’s puppets. “Your big show and all.”

 

“It’s more than that,” says Guignol, watching Serenity approach her brother and hug him tight. Her heart breaks at this; it reminds her too much of the dreams she had of Xavier waking up from his coma and her hugging him. “He’s casted a spell on Takeru, Yusaku and Specter; they’re going to become mindless puppets and start attacking everyone.”

 

“Gee, why does that sound familiar?” Brendan snarks, only for Guignol to shoot him a glare.

 

“Joey…” Serenity murmurs, wiping the tears that continue to fall down her brother’s face. “Are you...going to be all right?”

 

“Of course I’m all right!” Joey laughs. “I’m so happy! Can’t you tell by the smile on my face?” He lets out another laugh that transforms into a choking sob as he wraps his arms around his sister tight. “I just want to see them again...my puppets…”

 

“I know you do,” Serenity whispers. 

 

“Bruno. Alain. Riley…” Joey hiccups. “I...I need to see them soon. Please…”

 

As this goes on, Guignol (no, she can call herself ‘Yvonne’ now. The danger is over, she doesn’t need to be a serious puppeteer right now) looks at her phone and raises an eyebrow at the message given to her from Trip.

 

_ TheCuriousDeckard: Yvonne. I’ve got my eye on some strange individuals at the show. You’re the expert on puppetry so… _

 

Yvonne opens the photo and her eyes widen when she sees the nametags. These...these can’t be….

 

“What is it?” asks Puppet Yuya, on tiptoe to see the image on Yvonne’s phone. “Are those puppets?”

 

“They are,” Yvonne answers. She then turns to Joey. “Hey, Wheeler. Blake...I need your help with something.”

 

“What do you want now?” Joey hisses.

 

“Three things,” Yvonne answers, raising three fingers in the air. “First, I need you to help undo that puppetry spell that you placed on my ‘fashioned puppets’.

 

“Second, I’d like you to at least stay for the climatic end to my show. Just to cheer you up after you got your butt whooped by yours truly.

 

“And third…” 

 

Yvonne approaches Joey, showing him the photo on her phone. His eyes widen and he drops Yvonne’s phone onto the ground when he sees those names.

 

“They...they’re…” He can hardly get the words out.

 

Yvonne smiles. “Looks like you’ll get a chance to truly reunite with your puppets after all.”

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

“You WHAT?!”

 

Ryoken looks in horror as he shakes his head. No, this couldn’t be happening. Not only are these puppets in his bedroom, eyes like eager puppies as they cheerfully explained how they were involved in a recent slaughter fest in the city, but they seemed to expect him to be  _ grateful _ for this act of kindness.

 

“You  _ killed  _ someone?!” he exclaims.

 

“No, I didn’t kill anyone,” Specter admits.

 

“Thank goodness,” Ryoken sighs.

 

Specter then pats Takeru’s shoulder. “Takeru was the one who did it.”

 

“With this!” Takeru cheers, brandishing a prop machete. “It was so easy to do. Just raise it over my head and then…”

 

“Stop right there!” Ryoken shouts. “I...I can’t believe you did that. Why?”

 

“Because we are here to protect you, Master,” Yusaku answers, bringing his hand out. “Please, we only want you to be -- “

 

“I’M NOT YOUR MASTER!” Ryoken snarls, body trembling. He whacks Yusaku’s hand away (silently apologizing to his boyfriend for the rough treatment) before he starts pacing. “I’m not a master puppeteer, I will never be your master and I  _ never  _ want to see you again!” His voice drops into a soft hiss that is so unlike Ryoken. “Leave me. Right. Now.”

 

_ “This wasn’t supposed to happen,”  _ Trip narrates, his voice calm despite the looks of anguish on the faces of the “puppets”.  _ “They were supposed to protect their master. They were supposed to be  _ reunited  _ with their master. This can’t happen...for a master to reject their puppets is to signal their deaths.” _

 

The children gasp as Yusaku places a hand on his heart, stumbling forward. Takeru and Specter also collapse as if they are puppets whose strings have been cut off.

 

But backstage, everyone notices that something isn’t right.

 

“Something’s wrong,” May says, looking at the script. “They’re...they’re supposed to sadly depart and  _ then _ they start to rot.”

 

“Maybe they’re just trying to remember their lines?” Dawn suggests, noticing a faint golden glow in her brother’s eyes. “Um, May?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yvonne’s puppet magic is blue, right?”

 

“Uh-huh…”

 

“Then, if that’s not Yvonne...then what was that just now?”

 

“I have no idea,” May hisses, noticing Ryoken on stage also looking worried and unsure what to do. “We have to keep the play rolling until Yvonne returns.”

 

“I’ll salvage this,” Dawn says, approaching the stage. “Blake, what’s going on?”

 

“I... I don't know,” Ryoken answers and it is the real Ryoken stating this. “I just told them to leave and then…”

 

“Wait,” says Dawn, rolling her brother onto her back. She winces upon seeing the glassy stare in Yusaku's eyes...it reminds her too much of his 'therapy’ sessions with Ryoken. “Didn't mom used to tell us that the only way for a puppet to die is if their master rejects them?”

 

“That's only a story!” Ryoken snaps, noticing the equally blank gazes in Takeru and Specter's eyes. Something is wrong. “It's not real. Puppets don't just come to life like that!”

 

“Then  _ you  _ explain what just happened!” Dawn shouts, unbuttoning her brother’s shirt. She winces upon noticing that his chest looks similar to wood or whatever it is that puppets are made out of (plastic? silicone?) She pretends to notice a black spot on his brother’s chest, right over his heart. “Oh no…”

 

“W...what is it?” asks Ryoken, taking a momentary glance at Trip who is flipping through his script to see what to narrate next.

 

“They’re...they’re…”

 

And then, a pair of arms lunge towards Dawn’s neck causing the girl to scream in surprise.

 

The children, and some adults, gasp when Yusaku stands up, lifting Dawn into the air, arms ready to squeeze the air out of his sister’s throat. Dawn grips onto Yusaku’s wrists, absolutely glad that repurposement means that she has a high pain tolerance, hoping to pull him away and figure out what’s going on.

 

“Big brother…” Dawn gasps out, although whether she’s talking about Ryoken or Yusaku is unclear. “Help me…”

 

“Fiona!” Ryoken exclaims before turning to Yusaku. “What are you doing? Let her go this instant!”

 

But Yusaku refuses, his calm face replaced with an angry snarl as he continues to squeeze the life out of his sister. Tears fall down Dawn’s face as she reaches out to her brother, absolutely scared. This is her biggest fear out of all fears she has; that despite Ryoken’s honest attempts to give Yusaku ‘therapy’, that it would eventually cause him to transform into a mindless drone who would not remember her.

 

“S..stop her!” Ryoken states to Takeru and Specter. “Please, save my sister!”

 

_ “But neither puppets respond.”  _ Trip states, trying to keep the play moving.

 

“Wake up!” says Ryoken, shaking Specter. “Please. I’m your master, right? Do something!”

 

Slowly, Specter wakes up, and it is then that Ryoken notices the strange golden strings tied to Specter’s hands. Ryoken steps back, fear in his eyes as he notices that things are not going as planned.

 

The golden threads weave their magic onto Takeru and Yusaku too. Yusaku releasing his grip on Dawn and letting her collapse to the ground once he knows that she is unconscious. Ryoken looks around, trying to find a weapon to save himself, but the only thing he can see is that prop machete in Takeru’s hands…

 

Which, if Ryoken did not dodge at the last second, would have sliced his head clean off.

 

Dawn struggles to catch her breath as she also notices a golden glow surrounding the puppets. She looks all around, trying to find the source of this puppet magic, but she sees nothing.

 

“Why are you doing this?” Dawn asks Yusaku. “What are you doing?!”

 

But when Yusaku turns to answer her, his voice is so hollow. Empty. Like a mindless drone.

 

“We wish to reunite with our master,” he answers. “And we shall. You will not stop us! NO ONE WILL!”

 

He attempts to throw a punch at Dawn, but she grabs his hand and starts squeezing it. She silently apologizes before punching her brother across the head, knocking him onto the ground.

 

Ryoken dodges a punch from Specter but is then kicked in the stomach by Takeru. As he rises, he feels Takeru place the now real machete against his throat.

 

“What...what happened to you?” Ryoken gasps.

 

“Our master, our  _ true  _ master, calls for us,” Takeru answers, his voice empty. “Can you not hear it? The Song of the Strings that every puppet hears when they become alive, so that they can be in the arms of their beloved master once more?”

 

“What are you talking about?” Ryoken questions, looking at Dawn for answers, but Dawn is currently pounding a fist into her brother’s chest as if it is a strange form of CPR.

 

“He approaches soon,” Specter sighs, a sadistic smile on his face. “Our beloved master.”

 

_ “The puppets weren’t making sense anymore.”  _ Trip explains to the audience, no longer looking at the script.  _ “What master? Wasn’t Blake their master? Wasn’t he the one that was supposed to control them?” _

 

Ryoken feels helpless as Specter slams him onto the floor, pinning his wrists. Takeru smiles, machete ready to slice his hands clean off.

 

“You deserve this,” Takeru hisses. “We served you, we wanted nothing more than to be with you. But you rejected us. You hated us. You must pay. You must PAY!”

 

Ryoken’s eyes widen with fear. This isn’t how this was going to go. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!

 

And in the audience, people whisper to themselves. The ones named Bruno, Alain and Riley stare in confusion, but they take notice of those glowing gold threads surrounding the puppets on stage.

 

“Say goodbye to those fingers of yours!” Takeru cackles, bringing the machete down on Ryoken’s hands…

 

But just as the machete is about to go for the first chop, a blue thread of light wraps around his arm just one inch short of Ryoken losing his thumb.

 

“What?!” Takeru roars, looking around. “Who is out there?”

 

“That would be me.”

 

The audience turns to see Yvonne approach the stage, her fellow puppets by her side. She aims her pointer finger at Takeru, a blue thread coiled around it like a ring.

 

“Who are you?” Takeru spits, green eyes flickering with gold.

 

Yvonne smirks. “I am the Grand Lorde Guignol, and I was called upon by the Puppet Queen herself to free you from the spell that has been placed upon you.”

 

Dawn doesn’t know whether to look relieved at seeing Yvonne all right or confused at how she’s going off script. Since when was there such thing as a ‘Puppet Queen’ in the play?

 

Yvonne stares at the audience. “Do not be alarmed, everyone. These poor souls are really humans hit with a curse to make them  _ believe _ that they are the cursed puppets of old. But with your help, I will be able to free them at long last.”

 

Yvonne’s puppets take their positions in front of the audience, weapons ready to protect the innocent viewers of what is to happen. Yvonne takes this time to bring her hands out and wrap Takeru, Specter and Yusaku in her blue strings once again.

 

Backstage, May turns to see Brendan, Max and Serenity rush towards her. 

 

“Max, Brendan! What’s going on?” she asks. “And who’s the new girl?”

 

“I’m Serenity,” Serenity answers. “And you might want to get everyone to step back for this.”

 

“What?”

 

“Do as the girl says before she starts explaining a yawning yarn at you,” Brendan hisses to May. “Trust me.”

 

May just nods her head as she approaches the other students who have all gathered to watch Yvonne finish the story, sharing soda and potato chips with one another.

 

Back on stage, Yvonne closes her eyes and feels the might of her puppet magic flow out of her body and into these people. Yes, she did have fun teasing and joking on how she turned them into puppets, but she knows how important these people are to Dawn and she is not going to make her unhappy after everything  _ else _ that she did prior to Dawn’s life being cut short by suicide bomber.

 

Takeru tries to charge towards Yvonne with his machete, but Yvonne pulls the thread that is wrapped around his arm, causing him to drop onto the floor. Specter notices his fallen ally and snaps his head towards Yvonne, giving Ryoken enough time to close his eyes before shouting,

 

“STORM ACCESS!”

 

A large storm blows across the stage, hurling Specter to the side as Ryoken stands up. The wind begins to howl as Yvonne’s threads wrap around Specter. Dawn braces herself as she pins Yusaku onto the stage, seeing the blue threads immobilize him and overpowering the golden threads that were the cause of his strange state.

 

“No!” Yusaku shouts, struggling to escape. “We...will reunite...with our master!”

 

“You have no master,” Yvonne proclaims. “May these memories trouble you no more!”

 

Thunder booms and lightning flashes in the sky as the threads swallow their prey whole. Then, Yvonne crosses her arms over her chest as her puppets brace themselves and rain begins to pour down.

 

_ “Though I know I should be wary, _

_ Still I conjured something scary, _

_ Dark magic that has been set free, _

_ Begone from these mortals three!” _

 

A faint blue glow appears on stage, growing brighter with each passing second until everyone on stage, backstage and in the audience turns their gaze away. Only Yvonne stares into the light, praying that this spell will help undo the damage that she caused.

 

Seconds pass as the lights dim down. The threads retreat into Yvonne’s arms as she pants, body leaning forward. Ryoken props her up as he stays still, slowly watching the threads unravel to reveal…

 

“Yusaku…” Dawn whispers, seeing her brother unconscious. He still wears the puppet outfit from Yvonne’s first spell, but he looks human. She places two fingers on his neck and her eyes widen when she feels a pulse. “Yusaku!”

 

Yusaku’s eyes widen when he feels his sister wrap him in a tight hug, gasping for breath as he feels like Dawn will break him in half any minute. Takeru and Specter also begin to awaken, Takeru dropping the machete in his hands in horror, wondering just how he got it in the first place.

 

“W...what did you just do?” Ryoken asks, staring in disbelief. He honestly has no idea what is going on anymore.

 

“Do not worry, Blake,” says Yvonne, with the same calm tone that she carries when she performs her puppet shows. “You are safe now. This was all caused by the spirit of the real master puppeteer who has wandered this world for so long that his heart became twisted like knots in a tangled ball of string.”

 

“What are you saying?” 

 

Yvonne sighs. “I shall call upon the spirit of the master puppeteer right now. Jonathan Blake, reveal thyself! As a servant of the great and mighty Puppet Queen, I ask you to come forth!”

 

Thunder and lightning boom once more, temporarily shutting off the lights on stage. Seconds later, a new figure appears on stage.

 

“You rang?” asks Joey, his eyes glowing gold and so do his teeth. Children shriek in horror while Yvonne  stares at the three puppets at the back. This is their only shot in making this worthwhile. 

 

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Yvonne questions, pulling out her trusty switchblade from a pocket. “To cause so much trouble by transferring the memories of your beloved puppets onto these souls? Why? Do you not realize that your puppets have been here all along?”

 

“What do you mean by that, Guignol?” Joey hisses, golden strings lashing out across the stage. Dawn pulls Yusaku by her side as Joey paces back and forth. Takeru, Specter and Ryoken stay silent. “I have searched for centuries, hoping to find my family again. But as time passed, my hope began to fade. And as I saw puppeteers being with their beloved puppets, I grew angry. Why couldn’t I have my puppets back? Why did I have to die all those years ago? Why?”

 

Joey drops to his knees. “Bruno. Alain. Riley. I just want you back. Please...please come back to me…”

 

There is silence as Yvonne crosses the fingers on her right hand. She can feel her heart pound against her chest, not wanting to look on stage as if she is Orpheus resisting the urge to look to see if Eurydice is right behind him. 

 

This has to work...this  _ has _ to work...

 

“Master…”

 

Yvonne and Joey look across the stage as those three puppets approach, their eyes brimming with tears. Yvonne’s Puppets prepare their weapons but Yvonne raises a hand into the air. “Stand down,” she states without saying a word.

 

Joey lifts his gaze as the memories of his past life, Jonathan Blake, flash through his mind. Of course he would remember these faces. The faces of his puppets that he created, crafted, fashioned, performed with...a lifetime of memories appeared before him before he found himself in the loving embrace of his wonderful puppets.

 

“You’re here…” he whispers, golden threads gently wrapping themselves around the puppets. “After all these years.”

 

“We searched far and wide for you, Master,” Bruno begins, wiping one of Joey’s tears away. “We promised we would find you again.”

 

“We made sure to make people happy with our stories,” Alain whispers, patting Joey’s head. “We told them all of your stories, not a single one forgotten. We could never forget you.”

 

“And now, we are reunited at long last,” Riley states, snuggling into Joey’s embrace. “Forgive us for taking this long…”

 

“It’s okay,” Joey sobs. “Please don’t leave me again, please don’t…”

 

Nothing else is said as the puppeteer continues to cry, wanting to savor this moment for as long as he can. Yvonne smiles. If she can never be with her brother again, then at the very least she’ll make others happy. It would have been what Xavier wanted in the end.

 

“How lovely,” Dawn whispers, tears in her eyes. Then, she blinks. “Wait...what’s going on…why are their faces…”

 

Joey looks up and his face morphs into one of horror. No...not now...not now of all times!

 

“You’re...you’re breaking apart,” Joey says, about to lose his voice. “Not now...not when we finally reunited!”

 

It is true. Cracks form across the hands and faces of these puppets, their bodies glowing as if bathed in moonlight. Joey grips onto Bruno’s shoulders, but they crumble in his hands like wet clay. Serenity can’t bear to look and hides her face with her hands, tears trickling down her cheeks.

 

“No, please don’t go…” Joey pleads. “We promised each other...we promised!”

 

“It’s okay,” Bruno whispers. He sounds so tired now. “We deserve to rest after such a long journey.”

 

“But know this, master…” says Alain, wiping two more tears with his thumbs. “Lady Belladonna, our beloved Puppet Queen, will bring us into her loving arms and give us brand new bodies. That way, we will be able to be with you for real.”

 

“So wait for us a little while longer,” says Riley. “We’ll be back soon. And remember this…”

 

“Remember what?” asks Joey.

 

The three puppets smile as they step back, giving one last smile to their master as their legs, torsos and arms crumble and disintegrate into dust.

 

“We love you!”

 

And as the storm clouds fade away into a shining moon and glittering stars, the souls of the cursed puppets fly into the sky, causing everyone to look in surprise as Joey grasps onto what is left of his puppets, holding them to his chest as a smile adorns his face.

 

“I’ll wait for you,” he promises. “And send my regards to Lady Belladonna. Please…”

 

Then, there is nothing but silence as everyone on stage tries to guess who would be the first to speak. Trip tries to say something, but instead, he just closes the binder that holds his script shut and stares at Yvonne. This has never happened before with his ancestors in regards to storytelling.

 

“What just happened?” he asks. It is the only thing he can say towards this sort of situation.

 

Yvonne replies with tears falling down her face and a small laugh before it bursts into a very loud cackle that would not be out of place for her as Grand Lorde Guignol. Then, the laughter makes way into sobs as she drops to her knees, feeling anguish, happiness and sorrow at everything that has happened.

 

Once she is calm enough, Yvonne just turns to Trip and says, “It’s a  _ long _ story.” She slowly rises to her feet, shifting her gaze to the audience and smiles. “And if you will permit me, I would like to share it all with you.”

 

And backstage, Brendan can only whisper, “OH COME ON!” while May whacks him across the head.

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

_ “Once upon a time, there was a magnificent puppeteer and his three puppets. _

 

_ “The four were a happy little family, spreading joy to people with their puppet shows. They wished they could be like this forever, but Fate had other plans.  _

 

_ “A spoiled princess wanted the puppeteer to be her husband, but he refused. And for that, he was killed. With his death, his faithful puppets came to life in search for him. For years they traveled the world, spreading the joy that they once had with their master, and when they slept, they thought of being his arms once more. _

 

_ “But time was cruel to the master puppeteer. He was reborn in another body and that soul was conflicted with his new life and the memories of a puppeteer who only wanted his family back. He searched for years, trying to find his puppets and when all hope seemed lost, he decided on a dastardly and sinister plan. _

 

_ “‘If I am unable to find my puppets, then I shall have to fashion them instead!’ _

 

_ “With that thought in his mind, the master puppeteer began to work on finding the most perfect individuals to recreate his family. And he would not stop until he got his way. “ _

 

Yvonne sighs as she recites the quick summation to her shadow puppet show to a curious crowd. The makeshift stage is set in a beautiful garden filled with flowers of all sorts, set inside the Night Garden Foster Home. She sighs as she looks at Brendan and Max setting the shadow puppets down and begin preparing for the first act.

 

A week after the unexpected end to the play in Bandersnatch Park, which was uploaded online and onto the You Show Duel website, there were demands for another show. This time, it would take place in the Night Garden, as requested by its owner Lady Shirobara, for all of the children to gaze and gasp at.

 

Lady Shirobara herself sits in the back, a bright look in her eye as she is ‘guarded’ by her sons. They would never want to miss out on a lovely story like this.

 

“This brings back fond memories,” Shirobara sighs, gently ruffling Mokuba’s hair. “I used to host puppet shows when I was a younger girl.”

 

“Really now?” asks Mokuba, curiosity in his amethyst eyes. “Why did you never perform any for Seto and I?”

 

“Because,” Shirobara looks fondly at the stage. She sees Joey decked out in a black coat and pants with a matching mask covering his face on stage. She sees Serenity standing next to Yvonne, ready to narrate the next part of the tale. Seated in front of the audience are Ryoken, Yusaku, Takeru and Specter (who are glad that they aren’t going to be called up for another performance so soon). “I didn’t feel like I could ever top the performance I did so long ago against that wretched King Leo. And also because my pursuits were more of the earthen variety.”

 

“Such a shame. I always did want to know how your story about the cursed puppets was supposed to go.”

 

Both Kaiba brothers turn and blink. Standing behind them is a woman that looks similar to that of their dear mother except twenty years older. Her blood-red hair has crow feathers woven into it, her rainbow colored dress ends with a train of numerous flowers that could only come in one’s dreams. Adorning her head is a crown made out of deer antlers.

 

Shirobara smiles before she wraps her arms around this mysterious woman. “Hello, mother,” she whispers.

 

“M...mother?!” Mokuba gasps, but not so loud so that the audience doesn’t hear. 

 

The red-haired woman smiles before she releases herself from Shirobara’s embrace and places a kiss on Mokuba’s forehead. “Yes, dear Moonlight Dragon. I am Lady Belladonna, the Puppet Queen. How nice to finally meet you at long last.”

 

Lady Belladonna then turns her gaze to Seto and smiles. “Oh my. That body of yours….”

 

Seto just blushes. “Mother fashioned it for me.”

 

“I bet she did,” Lady Belladonna coos, placing a kiss on the CEO’s cheek. “That is the thing with repurposement; eventually the old body fades away and must be placed into a new vessel. But making new vessels does not come easy.”

 

“I suppose you came to bring new children into the Night Garden?” asks Shirobara, knowing the look in her mother’s eye.

 

Lady Belladonna nods her head and turns around. “Come little ones, don’t be shy.”

 

Three boys shyly enter the garden, looking around in curiosity as most children do, each of them carrying a pale yellow rose in their hands. Shirobara gasps. She knew those faces, once upon a time. That was when she was a little girl selling flowers and wishing three puppets the best of luck in finding their beloved master.

 

“Those can’t be…” she whispers. “Are they?”

 

Lady Belladonna nods her head. “The Cursed Puppets, but now given another chance to be with their master.” She chuckles at the three little ones looking at the stage with glee. “Come on. Why don’t you give my daughter your names?”

 

The boy with the large blue hat approaches Shirobara and takes her hand. “I’m Riley.”

 

The boy with the cyan scarf bows. “I’m Alain.”

 

“I’m Bruno!” says the boy with blue hair and blue and white jacket.

 

Shirobara smiles before she kneels down and wraps her arms around the three boys. “Welcome home,” she whispers, tears falling down her face. 

 

Bruno lifts his head and gasps. “Look! It’s him! It’s him!”

 

On stage, Yvonne, Serenity and Joey look up and see three little boys race toward them. Yvonne’s puppets prepare their weapons at the intruders, but Yvonne places a hand in the air to stop them.

 

“Hello little ones,” says Yvonne. But she already knows who these three are. “What are you all doing here?”

 

Riley giggles as he approaches the stage. He then hands Joey the yellow rose. “For you...Master.”

 

At this innocent gesture, Joey takes the rose into his hand. Bruno and Alain follow suit and Joey takes their roses before holding them to his heart.

 

“You’re back…” he whispers. “You’re really back….”

 

Tears fall down his face as he wraps the boys in a hug, all while Serenity cries tears of joy and Yvonne smiles. When she looks out into the crowd, her eyes spot Lady Belladonna waving towards her.

 

“Me?” she says out loud, much to her surprise.

 

“Yes, you,” says Lady Belladonna, approaching the stage. The audience stares at this woman with her pale skin, her bare feet walking across the grass without a sound. “I have heard all about you, Yvonne Maxa. Or should I say...Grand Lorde Guignol. You have done impressive feats for someone so new to the world of puppets.”

 

“She’s the best!” Puppet Yuya squeals, staring at this strange lady. 

 

Lady Belladonna chuckles. “I know. After all, I didn’t send you and your brothers to her without reason.”

 

At this, Puppet Yuya and his brothers cheer and hug the Puppet Queen all while Yvonne looks in bewilderment. All she knew about her puppets was that one day they just appeared in her bedroom with a note sugned by her grandfather to take care of them. Never in her wildest dreams would she have learned that they were gifted to her by the Puppet Queen herself via her grandfather!

 

“I also heard how you helped the soul of Jonathan Blake finally find peace after all these years,” Lady Belladonna continues, lifting her gaze at Yvonne. “And for that, you have my eternal gratitude.”

 

“It was nothing,” says Yvonne. “I mean, he did deserve to be reunited with his puppets in the end.”

 

“Which is why I am here. Yvonne Maxa, I wish for you to become an apprentice in the Court of Strings.”

 

“What?!” Serenity gasps, along with Brendan and Max. May and Dawn look in confusion, and Brendan can only mutter “Long story” as Lady Belladonna continues.

 

“One so skilled with puppetry and one with a heart who has suffered through loss yet still uses it to bring happiness to others...that is you.” Lady Belladonna lifts her hand towards Yvonne and red threads reach out. “I sense great potential in you, Lorde Guignol. Join me, and spread your stories across the four winds. Let the birds sing these tales in their flights. Let the moon shine down on those who perform their plays in the dead of night. Let flowers bloom and scatter their petals into the far corners of the Earth, inscribed with the words of your great tales.”

 

Yvonne looks at the hand and those red threads. She recalls the last time someone asked her to join the Court of Strings and how it ended with those assholes dead after they revealed their true intent of chopping her hands off.

 

But now? After everything that happened to her? Learning that the Court of Strings existed, that she helped the soul of the master puppeteer of legend find peace -- along with kicking his ass in a duel -- and now granted an invitation by the  _ Puppet Queen _ herself?

 

How could the Grand Lorde Guignol turn down an offer like this?

 

Yvonne raises her hand and blue threads curl into the air before approaching the red threads of Lady Belladonna. The threads then tie themselves into a knot that shines with a faint light before a mark appears on the palm of Yvonne’s right hand: a cross with four black strings dangling down before the ends of the strings form a four pointed star at the bottom.

 

“Use this to make people happy when you fashion them,” says Lady Belladonna. “I’m sure you’ll know which ones deserve happy endings.”

 

Yvonne smiles as she curls her hands over the mark and places said hand over her heart.

 

“Thank you,” she says. “I can’t wait to see who I fashion into a puppet next.”

 

Dawn can only laugh upon seeing the squeamish looks on Specter, Yusaku and Ryoken’s faces. Takeru, in the meantime, looks ready to take a machete and chop Yvonne’s hands clean off.

 

Lady Belladonna chuckles before she turns to the three boys on stage. “Come now, why don’t we take our seats and let these nice actors perform their show?”

 

“Okay!” The three cheer as they give Joey one last hug before following Lady Belladonna to some chairs in the back. Joey smiles as he slips the yellow roses into the pocket of his coat. Serenity does the same (the smile, not putting roses into a coat).

 

“Now then,” she begins. “Is anyone ready to hear how the story truly begins?”

 

Many children in the audience shout a large “Yes” in reply. As Serenity begins to tell the tale, she doesn’t notice Trip leaning against a rose-covered wall, staring at an item in his hands. It is the storybook prop of  _ The Cursed Puppets _ from Yvonne's play and it is currently open to the very last page. He points at the last two paragraphs and reads them to himself.

 

_ “And thus it is said that the puppeteer and his puppets traverse through darkness and mirrors, ready to spread their wondrous tales across the known worlds. Should you ever encounter them, sit down, open your mind and listen...because it just might be your ticket to enter the Court of Strings and receive the blessing of the Puppet Queen herself.  _

 

_ “Go forth. Lady Belladonna waits for an audience to entertain once more.” _

 

Trip nods his head as he closes the book shut with a light 'thump’. Then, he slips the book into his satchel and walks off, just as Serenity begins to narrate.

 

_ “Our tale begins not with the master puppeteer, but with a young boy who would soon find himself on a journey,”  _ she begins.  _ “But little did he know that his journey would lead him to the most unlikely of circumstances…” _

* * *

 

_ “I Understood That Reference!” _

 

 

  * __The title of this story comes from the manga “Karakuri Circus” by Kazuhiro Fujima.__


  * _“It’s time to play the music…” This is the opening line to “The Muppet Show” theme_


  * _The three puppets -- Bruno, Alain, Riley -- all come from different sources. Bruno is from ‘Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds”, Alain is from the “Pokemon XY” anime and Riley is from the Pokémon Diamond/Pearl games (although he also appeared in the anime)_


  * _Bandersnatch Park is based off of Central Park in New York, which boasts an Outdoor Theater and Marionette Theater too. (Fun fact: there’s a bronze statue of Alice in Wonderland in the real Central Park)_


  * _“Though I know I should be wary” this comes from the Beetlejuice animated series. Lydia Deetz would chant this to summon the titular Beetlejuice._


  * _Jonathan Blake is the name of the Creepypasta Puppeteer, with descriptions of him crying golden ectoplasm._


  * _The story was inspired by a -- now deleted -- Wattpad story called “Showtime!” in which the reincarnated puppeteer was Yuto and the three puppets were Yuya, Yugo and Yuri._



 

 

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 

**_Guignol: Puppets are used to bring joy onto people’s faces and to be reunited with someone who knows them like they would know themselves. For there is nothing happier than a puppet who is with their master, bringing joy and happiness to people for only a short time._ **

 

**_So the next time you see a brilliant puppetshow, look close...perhaps you can see a twinkle in a puppet's eye as they come to life, hoping to bring you into the Court of Strings and have tea with the Puppet Queen herself._ **

 

**_The Curious: And with that, the tale of Grand Lorde Guignol’s journey with the Cursed Puppets has come to the end. Now, it is time to delve into a land of the pyramids in this interesting tale. Are you ready, Willow?_ **

**\-- -- -- -- -- -- --**

**_Willow: Museums are an interesting way to spend the afternoon, looking at artifacts from the past and wondering if they could just come to life and tell you such fang-tastic stories!_ **

 

**_Next time: There’s an Egypt exhibit that’s come to Carroll City and I’m excited to see if mummies can come to life if given the right spell. The curator’s grandson strikes my fancy, and perhaps also the fancy of that mummy that is an important piece to this strange puzzle._ **

 

**_So it looks like I have my work cut out for me when “The Night of the Mummy” arrives! Let’s see where this goes!_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would like to give a shout-out to GRiDGALAXY because it's thanks to her that I can no longer imagine Takeru without thinking how he'll murder someone with a machete. XD


End file.
